Fio's Amazing Family Reunion and Vacation
by Soldier of the Future
Summary: It's another beautiful day, and Fio's loving parents are coming to town to take her beloved daughter on vacation. What happens when her friends, a bunch of party animals, are also invited? Find out here! One-shot fic divided up into 2 chapters.
1. Preparations

**Fio's Amazing Family Reunion and Vacation**

_**YES! Another fan fiction established! Amazing, isn't it? This is all thanks to the fact I am done college and waiting for exams which are coming in a few days or so, but in the meantime, I've got plenty of spare time, and since there's pretty much nothing really to do of interest around my college campus, I'm wasting my spare time away making yet another Metal Slug fan fiction story instead of studying…eh, who cares, studying never helped! You either know the stuff, or don't know it at all. I'm done my first year of college anyways!**_

_**Well, enough with that bullshit. This time, I'm featuring a humorous (in the perspective of most people anyways) story about Fio's family reunion. But this time, she's invited the rest of the team, including her partner, Eri, along with her two male compatriots, Marco and Tarma, and let's not forget the two US Marines that joined the team not so long ago, Leon and Flynn, on an all-expenses paid vacation and a stay at her father's very own mansion!**_

_**I'm somewhat taking a break from my other stories, so please bear with me. Sorry this one-shot story is extremely long-I didn't know if I should've broken it down or not, as I wanted to make it a grand presentation as one of the biggest one-shot fictions I've ever created. In the end, I had to cut it up into 2 parts, as this one-shot has over 30,000 words in total!**_

_**Part 2 will be up sometime tomorrow.**_

_**Like always, I don't own any characters in this fic. Save for the one under the alias of Leon Chan. Everyone else belongs to SNK Playmore and ID Software.**_

_**That's all I have to say. Enjoy!**_

**Global Defense Alliance Headquarters, the Pentagon, Washington DC**

_Another lovely day, yet another boring day of assignments…_Leon slammed his head on the desk in frustration as he realized that the beautiful afternoon could have gone to something else far more entertaining, such as going for a swim, a stroll in the park, boxing practice with his other military friends, or even better, hanging out at the local mall's arcade and wasting his time away with a game of Street Fighter with his best buds. But no…he was stick in his office doing assignments! He observed a flock of pigeons fly by his window and sighed in despair and boredom.

_We could've planned a trip to Miami or California days ago, but instead…bah!_

Taking a quick glance at the massive, endless piles of papers, he realized the reports were supposedly done by the other SPARROWS employees. What puzzled him was why were these assignments thrown at him, a US Marine, who wasn't an intelligence unit? After all, they were the supporting muscles for most assaults, but now they were giving things to do that required brains and patience-and he had neither in his battle scarred body.

He picked the sticky note on the report and looked at it. The small yellow strip was scribbled with the following words: "Reports are 7 months overdue. Cause: 40% of SPARROWS female employees are on maternity leave. Please send to all available employees to be completed."

Rolling his eyes in a dumbfounded manner, he snorted a bit. _Yeah, right. I doubt around 15,000 of the employees around here are even pregnant, they're just lazy slackers using such a dumb excuse to go on vacation in the tropical regions while we finish their crap!_ Throwing the sticky note into the trash bin, he took one last view out the window, where the sun shone bright into his office, and got to work. Taking one of the documents, he began reading it.

"Cause of lack of ammunition in the field…oh man, supply issues again? Well, here I go…" Mumbling in an annoyed mood, he picked up a pen and began the long, lifeless and boring process. _This is why I'd rather be in the field. Paperwork isn't one of my greatest strengths nor do I like this crap!_ He scribbled "_Lack of supply personnel in the field is the cause, we only have two in the field. Not everyone has the strength to carry 1000 rounds worth of magazines and bullet belts_."

Suddenly, a knocking sound came from the glass door. Looking up, he realized it was probably one of his friends, judging from the fact the offices were empty most of the time during a beautiful afternoon. "Come in." He spoke sternly and returned to writing something on the paper.

The door opened, and Eri Kasamoto, the team's explosives specialist, strolled in, carrying yet another stack of papers. "Mind if I join you?" The blonde-haired soldier asked with a smiling face. "Two brains are better than one after all!"

"Oh, what now! Can't you see I'm busy!"

"Yeah, yeah, pretend you're working hard just so you can get a raise. I'll bet you were playing Command and Conquer on your computer prior to my arrival, right, Corporal?" She taunted with a slight grin.

Leon placed his pen down. "I can play Command and Conquer all I want, but now I really have to finish this crap they gave us-I want to go home and play Command and Conquer with Marco and the other guys. Can you please come and annoy me some other time?"

"Hey hey, no need to get all aggressive on me. And you don't even have a home; you always crash at our places!" She sat down in front of him on one of the chairs that were used for visitors (although Leon rarely got any except for the other bureaucrats that badgered him for papers, pencils and other kinds of office supplies). Sighing, she placed the stack on the table and nodded. "I'm here to help you complete these reports, alright? I know you absolutely suck badly when it comes to paperwork, so you should wish I was here. But if you don't want me to, seeing how I'm "annoying" you…then I'll just leave and won't annoy you anymore, alright tough guy?"

"I thought you'd be busy flirting with Tarma." He laughed.

Eri shot a menacing look at him in response to his comment. "Hey, we're not lovebirds, don't make fun of us! Besides, he's busy repairing the vehicles down in the garage, so I'll leave him to that. He _hates_ it when I'm around and he's playing with his precious toys."

It was true-if there was one thing the vehicle specialist hated, it was the fact that his teammates-especially Eri-playing or messing with his vehicles as he was busy working on them. 90% of the time, whenever someone was distracting him, the vehicle would end up in the junkyard by the end of the day. One incident involved Eri crashing his customized car into a brick wall when she requested to "take it for a spin" and totaled it, and another involved Flynn smashing one of his lightly armored Metal Slugs when he wanted to show off his berserk punch, and he used his favorite tank as a "test" target. The tank, was of course, scrap in moments from the full powered smash, much to the vehicle specialist's dismay.

But none of them were as hilarious as one incident, when Fio confused oil with tea in the garage, and by accident, she gave the entire team diarrhea problems for a week when she served them refreshments.

"Yep, that's one thing I don't want to do." Leon shuddered in response to the diarrhea incident. He had literally spent 3 days straight at the toilet crapping oil, while in the end, sent to the hospital to clean out his insides.

Eri tried not to snicker, even though she was a victim of the poisoning. "Well, Mr. I am so Tough, now that I've explained the fact why I'm not downstairs in the garage, do you want me to help you and complete these papers? Because you're not part of the intelligence division and I thought you could use some assistance."

"Be my guest."

She opened one of the files and began to blabber endlessly, while Leon nodded his head periodically. What was even funnier was that he didn't understand 75% of the things she said, but if he slowed her down, it'd make the lecture even longer. He just wanted to get this done so he could either go swimming or boxing with his friends.

**Flynn Taggart's Office**

2 floors above Leon's office, Flynn Taggart, the veteran US Marine of countless battles, sat in his office with the same exact manner-but this time, he was talking to Marco about completing their assignments.

The Italian American slammed yet another heavy stack of files on the desk, shaking the woodwork and ground slightly. Sighing, he wiped some sweat on his forehead. "Guess what, HQ wants this all completed by next week. If not, then I guess they're going to cut our pay-again. I tried to negotiate with them, but all they did was say no because we're one of the few available."

"What! You want me to complete all this bullshit by the end of next week?" Flynn held his hands on his head as his eyes were sprung wide in shock. "Then what are the other employees supposed to do, pay them here to slack and talk nonsense?"

"40% of the employees here are on leave for some reason. I don't know, but they want us to finish it. No questions asked. We're all doing it-everyone on our team."

"I already wanted to go on vacation this weekend with the guys I work with back at Marine HQ, but I guess I'll have to scrap that." Sighing, he went on his computer's instant messenger and typed the following message to one of his friends: "_Can't go on vacation, have to finish bullshit lol. Talk to you later when I have time mmm k?_"

"Talking to your friends again, I see."

Turning back to Marco, he shook his head. "Yeah, they're always bugging me. So, what do we need to get done? Complete some math problems and hand them in because the others are either too lazy or dumb to do it themselves?"

Picking out one of the many reports, Marco flipped through the pages. "Looks like we have to fill out stats on weaponry. State their strengths, weaknesses, what improvements can be made, blah blah blah. You know, the usual. I guess it's like an evaluation report so they can improve their weapons in the future. Not that I really see a point-with the exception of some experimental weapons, all the weapons I've used are in functional order and they rarely ever screw up."

Cracking his knuckles, Flynn took one of the documents and started working on them. "There goes my happy hour. But hey, you want to go for a drink later this evening?"

"Be glad to, Marine." Marco chuckled as he tapped the pen on his head, thinking as he did so. "I could use some company-I've got nowhere to go tonight anyways."

**Military Vehicle Garage and Armory**

While the other team members were busy completing reports and other types of paperwork, Tarma Roving was busy in the vehicle garages and armories across the Pentagon assisting in the repairs and maintenance of several vehicles that required fixing. Actually, he was the only mechanic in the desolate garage-aside from him, Fiolina Germi was the only companion that was present with him at the moment.

As none of the guys in the offices wanted her badgering them with lectures and requests for lunch with them, they sent her to assist Tarma instead. She didn't really have anything to do, though-aside from the usual requests from the vehicle expert for a tool or the usual small talk, she simply stood there, eyeing the numerous, lifeless machines in the garage with a big smile and sweet feminine eyes.

"Please pass me that wrench, Fio." Tarma broke the dull silence as he investigated the M1 Abrams Tank he was working on. "Looks like there's a loose nut here and it needs some serious tightening. No wonder the turret has been having problems, like they reported earlier."

Fio scratched her head as she viewed the numerous tools in front of her on the table-she couldn't sort out among the pile of equipment that lay before her eyes. "Uh…which one is the wrench? Sorry, my mechanical skills aren't really top notch!" She giggled in embarrassment.

"The one with dual ends that have square-shaped compartments in them." Replying gruffly, he shone a light to investigate if there were any more loose compartments in need of a fix.

"Oh, ok!" She picked up a wrench and handed it to the mechanic.

"Thank you." Tarma took the wrench from Fio's tiny hands and proceeded to tighten the loose nut and bolt on the vehicle. "I just love this job, no one else does it besides me and the few military mechanics we have around here! Ah, that should do it." He chuckled as he placed the wrench down, wiped some sweat from his forehead, and took off his sunglasses. "Whew! It's like an inferno today. I wish they installed some air conditioning in here."

Before he knew it, Fio was standing there, right in front of him, holding a bottle of icy-cold water. "Water?" She asked with a smiling face.

"Thank you." Smiling, he took the bottle of water, popped the cap open, and gurgled in the refreshing drink. "Man, I'd probably be bored to death here if it wasn't for you keeping me company!" He placed the bottle down and investigated one of the treads on the armored tank. "This one needs some adjusting, looks like someone decided to drive it into a swamp. So much mud, rocks and grass clogged in the tread drive!" He murmured as he shone a flashlight into the interior of the vehicle's caterpillar treads, illuminating chunks of dirt and mud stuck in the tread drives.

"Do you want me to get you anything else? Oh, and thanks for your comment!" Fio took off her cap and fanned herself with it, hoping to cool off somehow from the extreme summer heat.

Tarma shook his head. "Haha, you're far better off than the others. Leon would probably beg me to install more powerful boosters on his F-35, while Eri will probably beg me so she can play on one of my bikes. Don't remind me of Flynn-that guy always wants to show off his muscle power-in the wrong places! Marco never stops annoying me to challenge me to a drinking or arm wrestling match even when I'm on duty. I guess I should be glad I have you here!" He proceeded to scrape the debris from the machine with a crowbar. "Seems hardened to me."

Fio shook her head from his comment. "Aw, maybe if you explained to them nicely instead of turning into a mad monster when they touch your vehicles, they would understand!"

"No way. They're raving idiots when in the garage, trust me! Remember the time those Marines were playing hot potato with a Molotov? That's one lesson I learned to keep those rowdy clowns out of my workspace!" He shuddered a bit from one time when one of his customized bikes were literally set on fire from a Molotov Cocktail Leon and Flynn were both using in a game of "hot Molotov". Basically, it was a game where two or more players would toss the lit explosive among themselves and whoever dropped it from the intense heat, they lost. Leon lost the game, and of course, he was in such a hurry to get rid of the heated weapon he accidently whipped it at Tarma's beloved bike, burning it to a crisp in a matter of seconds. In response, Tarma chased him out of the garage with a chainsaw, with other Marines witnessing them trying to stop the raging soldier!

"That was pretty funny!" Fio laughed in a childish voice. "Good thing you didn't kill anyone!"

"I would've, if he continued to wreck my personal Metal Slug Tank! A multi-thousand dollar bike lost to a 10 dollar poor man's explosive…what a shame." He continued to forcefully chip at the gunk trapped within the treads.

Hoping to get off the topic, the Italian SPARROWS agent decided to change the subject to about lunch instead. "Do you need anything to eat? You haven't eaten since yesterday evening-I'll make you something, if you want to!"

Placing the crowbar down, he grabbed a water hose. "I'm alright. I can survive until the afternoon tea break." As much as Tarma loved Fio's delicious homemade sandwiches and other assortments of mouth-watering food she always whipped up (just like everyone else did on his team), he wasn't in the mood to eat-his hands were covered with oil and other types of messy substance, and eating with filthy hands was not a good idea, not to mention he needed to get these vehicle maintenances done as soon as possible. "Now all we need to do is flush the treads with water, and it should be clean. Are there any other vehicles that need repairing?" He called.

Fio bounced over to one of the Wolverine Walkers and investigated it. "Um, this Wolverine needs some repairs; the Gatling Gun seems to be out of place!" She poked it, and the gun attachment fell to the floor with a _clang_ noise. "Oops! I shouldn't have touched it, I guess!"

"Got it. I'll be over there after I'm done cleaning this Abrams." Twisting the valve, he carefully blasted the water into the drive, sending muddy water mixed with grass drifting like a river out of the vehicle and disappearing down a drain close by. After he was done, he quickly washed his hands with the running hose and turned off the still running water. "Well, let's take a break. My hands are killing me after 2 hours of nonstop work!"

"Do you want anything to eat?" She asked once more-she was extremely eager to make something to eat for once, since she was starving herself.

"No thanks." Tarma smiled. But suddenly, his stomach growled and Fio, upon hearing the rambling sound, nodded her head.

"Hold on right there! I'll whip you a lasagna sandwich right away!" She immediately dug into her backpack and immediately got to work. Tarma tried to stop her, since he wanted her to save the trouble-but he knew the chances of stopping the energetic girl would be slim to none.

_Always looking out for us and feeding our stomachs…sometimes I feel she never gets enough respect. Oh well, I'll thank her later for this._ He wiped his head as more streams of sweat continued to pour down his head. _Looks like the Wolverine Walker over there needs a fresh Gatling gun, but I'll get to it after lunch._

Soon enough, Fio handed him a fresh sandwich. Sniffing it, he realized it was one of her specials-a mouth-watering lasagna sandwich with fresh bread and meat lasagna slapped in between them. "Wow, I never had these in a long time! Thanks very much!"

"Aw, quit applauding and just take it. I have to make more for my friends later."

Tarma took the sandwich and took a huge bite out of it, gulping the delicious food with a satisfying smile. As the cafeteria at the Headquarters never actually served anything really good, this was the first time he had eaten something tasty and healthy in like a week. Wiping his mouth, he took a quick gulp from his water. "We going to see the other guys later?"

"Yep!" Fio replied cheerfully. "As soon as I'm done here, we'll head to their offices!" She resumed stacking and slicing the food.

"Alright." Tarma resumed eating, savoring the delicious piece with every bite.

Suddenly, Fio's cell phone rang a cheerful tone most of her friends could recognize as her signature ringtone, and she immediately stopped making her food. "Oh, excuse me!"

"Take your time."

She headed outside the garage, pulled the phone from the back pocket of her military shorts, and viewed her call display. To her surprise, it was her parents-and she hadn't heard from them for over 5 years ever since Leon and Flynn were transferred to her team. Just thinking about her parents brought a feeling of warmness and delight to her heart-she had missed her loving parents so much. Hastily, she activated the phone and spoke. "Hello?"

"Hey, Fio. How are you?" She instantly recognized the deep, gruff voice-it was her father, who was a military veteran and was the one who "forced" her to join the army.

"Hi dad! How have you been? It's been a long time ever since we've seen each other! I'm alright, though!"

"Glad to hear that." Her father's deep voice came from the other end. "I've been quite busy, however, since being in the position as the CEO of the Global Defense Alliance R&D Division in Europe isn't exactly the easiest job there is. But anyways, your mother and I have been on vacation for about 3 weeks, and we've been travelling all around the world. We plan to return to Genova, Italy soon, but not before we head to Washington D.C. for a visit with the American President and his subordinates. But hey, since we're going to be there, you want to go back home for a while?"

"Sure!" Fio spoke happily into the phone. Just thinking about her hometown made her feel miss her birthplace. "But…we're quite busy at the moment, with all these reports and assignments we have to finish in the next few days."

"It's alright. I'll just tell the officials I want to spend some time with my precious daughter-no dumb paperwork is going to stand in that way. But anyways, I welcome your teammates if they want to tag along. Would you think they'd be able to come?"

"Uh…probably. Do you really want to see them again?"

"Well, try to get them to come. I look forward to seeing them ever since the awards ceremony after the third war. Anyone with such a close relationship with my daughter can be considered a part of the Germi family! And you know how much I love other soldiers with a bad reputation but yet a heart of morality!" He chuckled a bit from the other end, remembering about the times where he met some Marines that were transferred because of their tendency to disobey orders for the common good.

"I have to agree, they are like family!"

"I also heard you had two new teammates transferred to your team, correct? Their names are Leon Chan and Flynn Taggart, both US Marines veterans, if my memory serves me well. How are they treating you? I heard the Marines are a rowdy crowd of party animals with bad hygiene, that's what General Eisenhower told me a while ago!"

Fio laughed. "Oh, they're the funniest guys around! They're always blushing around me! But anyways, they're extremely skilled soldiers, and I can't say how many times they've managed to cheer me up! Yes, they do have bad hygiene, but you can't blame them!"

Her father chuckled deeply once more on the other end of the phone. "Oh! Then I must see them! I need comedians-there aren't any good ones anymore. It's hard to find a clown in the military-but anyways, please bring all your friends! I'm sure they need a vacation, and they've earned it-I'll cover all the expenses as a thank you to them for watching out for you."

"I'll keep that in mind, dad. By the way, how is mom doing?"

"She's sleeping on the plane at the moment, so she can't talk to you right now. But anyways, she's in very good health. She also misses you very much. Oh, that reminds me, I have to go now. There's a call coming in from the US Secretary of Defense, and I have to prepare for a very important meeting once I land in Washington. Now, keep yourself safe, alright?"

"Okay, okay, dad! I'm not a little baby anymore!" Fio rolled her eyes, having getting tired from her dad's constant nagging even though she knew he loved her more than anything he owned, even his fortunes, which totaled in the hundreds of billions worth of money. "I've fought in 7 conflicts, and I'm quite capable of myself!"

"Alright, I suppose. But please stay safe. I'll see you in approximately 3 days."

"Alright. Bye dad." With that, Fio turned the phone off and placed it back into her pocket. Tarma soon came out of the garage holding a bottle of water and stretching.

"What's with the long phone call? Marco or Leon flirting with you again?" He joked.

"Nope! But I have some very good news!"

"Well, let's hear it." The vehicle mechanic wiped his forehead with a cloth as the never ending streams of sweat spilled down his face like broken faucets.

The big smile and glassy eyes on the SPARROWS agent's face meant that she was extremely excited. "My father's coming to Washington D.C. for a very important meeting, but he's also coming to visit us!"

"Mr. Germi? The head of Europe's GDA R&D Division?" Tarma gasped a bit. "The man's a billionaire! Man, if I could shake that guy's hand…oh I did-never mind. But I haven't seen your old pop in over half a decade!"

"Oh, I'm sure you will! But anyways, he agreed to take the entire team on a vacation, not to mention you'll all get to visit my home in Genova! And don't worry, he agreed to pay for all of us, so don't worry about your bank accounts!"

"WHOOOO HOOOOOOO!" Tarma yelped at the top of his lungs, while making a big leap into the air. "Oh man, this has got to be one of the best things to happen in my life, ever!" While Mr. Roving the Second, Tarma's dad, had taken his kid to the Germi Estate when he was younger for a celebration for an anniversary of a long-forgotten war (his father was also a distinguished soldier with plenty of bragging rights but yet his modesty somewhat lowered his ego), the youngster had never truly experienced the thrills of the mansion. But now that he was grown up and had his own stories to tell, he truly looked forward going there once more.

Fio giggled slightly. "I've never seen you so happy! But anyways, we'll tell the others on the team about this great news! Who knows what they will say about this?"

"I'm sure Flynn Taggart would want to shake a war veteran's hand!" The vehicle specialist laughed. "That guy loves meeting war heroes of his own kind! But man, I want to travel ever since my last leave 2 years ago! But anyways, we must tell them!"

Packing their things up, both individuals hurried out of the garage as Tarma closed it down and switched the sign at the front gate, displaying "Be back soon". Both soldiers immediately hurried across the street and into the Pentagon, eager to tell their compatriots about this excellent opportunity to relax and escape from their boring work.

**Leon's Office**

"Say, you want to go for lunch together after we get these documents done?" Leon asked as Eri was busily writing in her report. "It's almost 2PM, and I'm starving! Where do you want to go?"

The Japanese SPARROWS agent looked at him with a suspicious eye. "That's funny, the last time I asked you for lunch, you said you were going to a bar with Flynn for a burping contest and you left in a hurry, yet I saw you across the restaurant I wanted to go with you. Are you up to something?"

"Aw, come on! I was just asking if you wanted to go for lunch!" The US Marine complained. "I wasn't asking you to massage my feet or rub lotion on my back! And why were you spying on me!"

Eri smiled, and patted him on the head. "There, there. I'm just playing with you. Now come on, I'll go for lunch with you. I'm sure Fio has already flirted with Tarma so much already! And that wasn't funny, I would never touch your feet even if I was wearing a hazmat suit!" She laughed nervously.

"They don't smell that bad."

"Of course, they're your own feet, you'd probably love their smell over some perfume with a sweet aroma!"

"Very funny for someone who always emits fear around herself." Making a bored face, Leon continued working on his report. "Alright, let's stop talking about my feet and get back to this damn assignment, I don't want to stay overtime again!"

"Alright. Does that fancy restaurant across the street sound viable?" She asked. "I'd love to try some of that food."

"If you say so." Leon shrugged, as he really didn't have a personal preference as long as the food was edible and didn't induce vomiting.

It was at this time when a rapid knock came from Leon's door. Placing his pen down, he got out of his chair, expecting it to be some employee asking for extra pencils or printing paper. Sighing, he opened it slightly, not expecting it to be his friends-but Tarma was so excited about the news, he swung the door so hard it flew right open and Leon, not expecting the door to suddenly swing wide open like that, was sent smack-dab into the wall and was squashed between the door. He unleashed a muffled scream and a groan of pain as the door slammed into his face.

"My, Tarma! Slow down! My father doesn't come and pick us up in 2 days!" Fio spoke in delight.

Panting, the vehicle specialist sprinted up to Eri, panting for breaths as he did so. "Where is Leon. Where is he! WHERE IS HE! I'VE GOT THIS GOD-AWESOME NEWS I HAVE TO TELL THE GUY!"

Eri pointed to the door with a dumbfounded face. "You nearly killed the poor kid when you smashed the door open…"

"Uhhhh…someone help me here…" Leon groaned from behind the wood/glasswork.

Fio slowly opened the door, and found her friend somewhat stunned and flattened, but not injured. "Oh my, are you alright, Monsieur Chan?" She dusted his shoulders a bit.

"Yeah, but Tarma, what the hell was that all about? You nearly killed me-unless it's something exciting is going on, like Frank Klepacki being in town or something, you better say sorry! Because if that's the fact, I need his autograph!" Leon complained.

"No, even better! Fio's father is coming to town and he's taking all of us on an all-expenses paid vacation to the Germi Estate in Fio's hometown! Oh man! Aren't you excited! We get to escape from our assignments! Come on! Cheer with me! I thought you hated boring office work!"

Leon narrowed his eyes. "…are you serious?"

Tarma took off his sunglasses and gave him a dead-serious face. "Does this look serious to you? If not, ask Miss Germi and see what she says!"

The group was silent for a few moments, with the occasional shots of looks going back and forth among the small group. Then, suddenly, the most unexpected response happened.

"AHHHHH!" The US Marine screamed and ran out the door as if he was being chased by angry gunmen intent on taking his head, leaving all three teammates in his office standing there, looking out the door with shocked eyes. "Flynn! I've got something to tell you! And this time it's not the toilets overflowing again!"

"…I think he still feels insecure around you, Fio…" Eri trained off a bit.

"What, is my butt too big?" Fio blushed a bit.

"Not that!"

Tarma tried to hide his giggles. "Pfft, I think it is your rear end!"

**Flynn Taggart's Office**

While Eri managed to keep Leon focused on his assignments and prevented him from playing computer games on his PC, Marco wasn't exactly the "best" role model compared to her. While he did work on the reports with his Marine compatriot, the two easily got bored, and decided to play Doom on Flynn's PC-the US Marine's favorite first-person shooter. Marco himself wanted to escape from the boredom of doing the assignments also, so he too, fell victim as he observed him blasting devilish monsters on his computer for the rest of the afternoon.

"Get that! Get that shotgun!" Marco pointed to a sprite of a 12 gauge double barreled shotgun-aptly named the "Super Shotgun" or "SSG" by other soldiers-lying in a corner. Deemed as the ultimate pellet weapon by many, the double barreled monster would be able to shoot dozens of holes in any target in a short time period.

Flynn maneuvered his character over the weapon, and got it. "Well, seems awesome-oh damn! It just spawned 4 Hell Knights! The SSG should take care of them!" The screen displayed some minotaur-like creatures heading towards the character, flinging green projectiles as they advanced. The Hell Knights, being the bane of inexperienced players with their extreme endurance, strength, and firepower, could easily total even the hardiest player if they weren't prepared with heavy armaments. Flynn, however, having played the game for over 2 decades since he was a kid, could easily outmaneuver the beasts and pummel them with any firearm on his hand-even a pistol, although it took some time to do so. Chuckling, the Marine perforated one of the hellish beasts with a shotgun blast, and the creature unleashed a distorted groan before falling to the ground in a pool of its own green blood.

"How's that! Scare tactics don't work on me!" The American soldier mocked.

"Well, you're short on shotgun shells! If I remember correctly, there's a BFG9000 somewhere in the next area, you'll need it!" Marco suggested.

"Well, thanks for the tip." Flynn killed off an entire crowd of zombie soldiers with one shot from his double-barreled shotgun, all the while fleeing from the Hell Knights. "I'm sure there more in the next area…"

Bleeps, bloops and other crazy assortments of sounds continued to project from his PC until a knock came from the door. Both soldiers looked at the shadow outside the door with fear-what if it was one of the supervisors, or worse, Cynthia, Eri, or Fio trying to catch them goofing off? They would be in serious trouble if they got caught! It happened before, but fortunately, the UN SOC Commander was in a good mood that particular day and therefore excused Mr. Taggart.

"Hurry!" Marco urged.

The US Marine quickly quitted his game, turned off his computer and pretended to be busy back at his assignments. Meanwhile, Marco called "Come in!" and without warning, Leon exploded through the door with a face of excitement.

"Whoa! What's with the-" Before he knew it, his visitor was right in his face.

"Fio's old man is coming to town and he's giving us an all paid expenses trip which means free food and endless slacking oh man I'm so excited you guys should be too I mean who wouldn't love a free vacation aren't you guys excited hurry we must pack-" It was at this time Marco got a firm grip on the soldier's shoulders.

"Ok, tell me calmly. What is it? I can't get a word you're saying!"

"Fio's dad is coming and taking us on vacation!"

Flynn got out of his chair and looked at the kid. "You serious?" Silence soon followed, as Leon didn't bother to reply being completely out of breath.

"OH YES!" He started bouncing around the room in excitement as if he had just won a lottery. At the same time, Marco had look saying "Yes!" on his face-to put it flat and simple, all three guys in the room were dancing in the office room in joy-never in their life had they received such an awesome present just because they were teamed up with the daughter of a billionaire! It was perhaps one of the best things that could ever happen, as the Global Defense Alliance were never willing to pay for their trips, since they couldn't even afford well-maintained toilets or proper food services!

At this time, Eri, Fio and Tarma entered their office and looked at the team of three, all three having an absurd look, except for Fio. She chuckled nervously as she scratched her hair. It didn't take long for Mr. Roving to join in on the dance, though…

"Are they really THAT excited?" Eri asked.

"HELL YES!" Flynn screamed in her face, forcing her to cover her nose as a result of his beer-like breath. "I need a vacation! Right boys?"

"YYYYEEEESSSS!" Marco, Tarma and Leon all cheered in unison as they raised their fists in the air.

"Oh my! I never knew you guys would be so happy!" Fio commented at the rowdy boys. "But please, could you lay off the crazy stunts such as your 100m sprint in 10 seconds and shotgun juggling, Flynn? Not to mention your amazing 15 second duration burp, Leon! Let's not forget your drunken master moves, Marco, and your amazing wheelies, Tarma! I think my parents would freak if they saw you guys and your stunts!"

"Alright, alright." Tarma snickered a bit. "Come on, I use the wheelies to get the girls running at me. Who wouldn't love a guy like me cruising on my bike and doing wheelies?" He smiled and shone his glasses like a slick celebrity.

"I wouldn't." Eri shot a look at him. Marco, Leon and Flynn all laughed quietly.

"You aren't helping, guys! The ladies love me!"

"Then I don't know why Eri smashed your bike last time you were about to show it at the annual motorbike convention." Leon snickered. It was one scene they'd always remember. Tarma was about to showcase his bike, only to find it all smashed up, with Eri hiding a sledgehammer behind her. In the background, Tarma's other three male compatriots were laughing their asses off at this expression while a bunch of fan girls were laughing even more. To piss Tarma off even more (for laughs only) Leon even had saved a picture of his reaction on his cellphone, although he rarely pulled it out though!

"THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" Angered, the vehicle specialist grabbed the Marine by the throat, strangling him. Marco and Flynn tried to break up the fight, while Eri continued to laugh. "And I know you have that picture!"

"NO I DON'T!"

"That's what you get for stealing my drinks, pal." She laughed, with her hands across her chest.

Shaking her head, Fio smiled at her team's silliness. "Anyways, he'll be coming to the Pentagon two days from now, so you guys should go home and pack up whatever you need. Will you all be able to come?"

"Sure." Marco grinned.

"I'm not missing this." Tarma replied as he tried to regain his cool. "A once in a lifetime opportunity!"

"I'll go, if you promise to cover me from these boys." Eri rolled her eyes.

"I am so in this!" Leon laughed.

"I agree with the kid here." Flynn chuckled.

All four boys, weary from the fatigues of war and extremely boring office work, were all looking forward to the vacation their friend was offering them-hey, after all, who could turn down such an offer? Vacations were a rare treat if you were a full time soldier and you worked with an extremely underfunded military that couldn't even afford proper bathrooms. The GDA, was of course, famous for throwing its money into extensive research and purchases of rare ordnance.

"Great! My father would love to see you all again!"

Flynn crossed his arms. "Hold on a second…isn't your father a veteran of the Gulf War of the late 1980s and early 1990s, but now he's the CEO for the GDA R&D in Europe? I never saw your old man before, but I heard he was a member of the Artillery Team!"

"Yep, he is!"

"I'd be honored to meet him!" The burly soldier grabbed Fio and began to hug her tightly. "Oh, for the first time, I actually know a friend from someone famous! Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!" Mr. Taggart began to dance around the room.

"Oh, please!" Fio laughed. "You're choking me! Ahhh!" She yelled as the US Marine swung her around the room. Everyone else could only laugh from the scene as the SPARROWS agent was at the mercy of the oldest member of the team.

"Who knew Mr. Taggart had such a soft side…" Leon grumbled. "Maybe he isn't the big, tough guy all the time!"

Marco shrugged. "Trust me; Fio can charm anyone she wishes."

It was at this time that Flynn finally stopped dancing and placed Fio back on the ground, all the while sighing dreamily. "With all due, I must meet your father ASAP! I want to shake the man's hand and arm wrestle with him! I absolutely need to!"

"Uh…wouldn't you smash her old man into the dirt? You managed to beat all of us in arm wrestling even though you allowed us to use both hands in the matches!" Tarma complained as he wiped his sunglasses on his shirt. "I don't think Fio will be happy you sent her old pop to the hospital!"

"Oh, it's alright! My dad is a veteran, I doubt he'll turn down an arm wrestling match anyways!" For some reason, she managed to recover quite quickly even though she was roughed up pretty badly by the Marine. It was probably because of her skills with dancing, but who knows? "So anyways, everyone here is coming, right?"

All her five other teammates nodded their heads simultaneously.

"Great!" She smiled in delight. "I guess we should get home and pack up tonight. You don't need to bring anything too major-clothes, swimming gear, and any personal care products, that's all. My father will even be able to kindly provide us with the suits and dresses for the party he'll be throwing, so no need to stress about that!"

"Well, what about these assignments?" Eri reminded. "I doubt the GDA would let us waltz off without these finished."

"It's alright! My father will excuse us!" Fio responded.

"You…you kidding? We get excused from our homework!" Leon gasped.

Fiolina smiled a bit and nodded.

"Wish this was possible when I was back in high school." The US Marine chuckled. "First we get an all expenses paid vacation, and we get excused from these lame assignments! Well, I suppose I should come to your house and pack my stuff, since I've been slacking at your house for these last few months!"

"Great. I'm going home now. Have a lot of packing to do. Oh, and by the way, I've locked your office already, Leon, so don't worry about your stuff getting stolen, even though your office is cluttered with trash and whatnot." She turned for the door. "Well, I'll catch you guys on Monday, I suppose!" Eri smiled a bit and walked out of Flynn's office.

The older US Marine turned to his computer and sat down. "Well, I suppose you two would come to my house, right? After all, my Humvee will be able to hold a ton of your luggage with no difficulties!"

"Yeah, I suppose." Tarma placed the sunglasses back on his head. "We should head back now, I guess. New Jersey is quite far from here and we don't want to get stuck in traffic!"

"So it's decided. We'll do whatever we want for the next day, and then we'll see each other again on Monday." Marco advised. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"Street Fighter party anyone at my place?" Flynn laughed. He always had a tendency to throw parties of all sorts whenever both Marco and Tarma were at his house. Although Leon would join them periodically, his tendency to get extremely drunk and eventually creating a huge mess in the house made him go less-he didn't want to embarrass himself, nor did Flynn want to wipe up his puke after his business.

"I'll join!" Marco raised his hand. "I still need to beat you at that game!"

"Well, let's prove it tonight." The soldier packed up all his essentials in his huge backpack, hefted it over his shoulder without showing any signs of difficulties, and walked to the door. "You guys coming?"

"Well, what else are we going to do hanging around the office all day?" Leon joked a bit. "Come on, I guess we should get going."

**Later that evening at Fio's house…**

"Fio, have you seen my extra pair of combats and flak vest?" Leon asked as he rummaged through his drawers as he looked for the grey combats and standard protective vest he used to always wear on his tours.

"I've been fixing them for you, I'll get it done tomorrow. Your vest should be ready soon, I still need to fix some damage to your vest." She replied as he poked her head from the kitchen while she was making dinner. "Do you want them washed? Those bloodstains there still creeps me out, even though it's not your own blood."

"Yes, please and thank you." He replied, smiling slightly as he continued to pack his shotgun and a few spare shotgun shells into a customized case. After all, he never knew when he truly needed a weapon. Now all he needed to do was pack some spare clothes and his forest camouflage-style swimming trunks, and he was set. He really, really looked forward to go swimming, not to mention belly flop right into the pool! "Hey Fio, is your personal swimming pool really large? I want to belly flop into it!"

"Well, just don't splash us all again. You managed to flood my entire house after all four boys went into the pool at the same time! Good thing my father didn't find out since he was away!"

"Haha, I won't forget that." He scratched his head in embarrassment and laughed nervously. Grabbing a belt of machine gun rounds, he placed it into the duffel bag alongside the customized briefcase-he was sure Flynn was going to bring his M60, and of course, he had a tendency to ask for spare ammunition from his teammates. _Might as well._ He thought. Now that he was finished packing-temporarily, he decided to play Doom 64 for a bit.

Fio instantly recognized the sounds coming from her television set. "Playing Doom 64 again, soldier?"

"Yep!" Leon called as he deeply concentrated himself into the intense first-person shooter. "YES! I'm finally finished Level 19! That level is so damn hard! Ok, time to tackle level 20! Leave dinner on the table-I'll eat it later." The sounds of buttons clacking and numerous noises, ranging from guns firing to monsters screaming in pain, emanated from her living room.

"No, you come eat with me now, young man!"

"But I'm already on level 20! Come on! I want to finish this game before I leave!"

"No buts! Get over to the dinner table now! Don't make me come over there!" Fio scolded from the kitchen.

"Aw…" Leon moaned a bit. He knew if Fio was the one dragging him out of there, it would _not_ end up pretty regardless. Turning off the console and putting the controller back onto the floor, he headed over to the table and sat down. "Come on, how come I can't eat later?"

The SPARROWS agent brought out two plates of spaghetti from the kitchen, each smothered with small chunks of meat and tomato sauce, along with a slice of bread. The food brought a sweet aroma to the entire room, instantly making both individuals' stomachs rumbling. "Don't you enjoy eating with your friends and family? I can barely spend time alone by myself, I always need company. Wouldn't you want to eat with me?" She looked at him with the cutest and most adorable face she could create.

"Well, I uh…" Leon blushed as he scratched the back of his head. "You see…"

"Am I cute? Please say I am!"

By this time, the soldier was blushing so much, he literally could no longer feel himself. "Oh come on! You know I always go crazy when you do that!"

Giggling childishly, Fio smiled. "I'm just playing with you-now let's eat." Setting down the two plates of food on the table, she sat down across from the table where the US Marine nodded slightly. "Well, I made your favorite food-spaghetti with meat sauce."

Grinning a bit, he picked up a fork and thanked her. "Err…thanks. I can't remember the last time someone was actually kind enough to make me dinner free of charge. Well, maybe Eri, but she accidently managed to set off the fire alarm after she accidently poured Molotov Cocktails into the oven. Man, I'm scared of her now, who keeps explosives in the kitchen!"

Fio laughed. "Well, you run around with a fully loaded shotgun! I'd be scared of you more if you were just assigned to my team recently. But yes, I'm sure you know Eri is an explosives expert, so please, don't mind her. She's a very lonely person as far as I know and just wants a friend, deep down."

"I'll keep that in mind." Leon took a bite from his dinner, shivering from the fact his other female compatriot literally makes homemade pipe bombs in her spare time. He burped a bit, and took a gulp from a glass of soda. "Oh man, I can't thank you enough for making these awesome meals! It's like eating my dad's gourmet cooking, but my old man was always too busy so I'd only get to taste his delicious foods like once every 4 months! But how can I really, really repay you for all this?"

"Oh, you don't need to!" Fio giggled a bit, with a mouthful of spaghetti in her mouth. "Being able to serve my friends and seeing them enjoy my cooking is enough to make me happy!"

Sighing, Leon smiled back and continued eating his dinner. _How can someone possibly feel this happy-cooking is torturous! Well, for me anyways. She's from an extremely rich background, even richer than my father was, yet she's so caring and non-demanding…I guess you can't judge someone by their background._

A couple of minutes later, he quickly finished his dinner in a rapid manner, like he always did when he was eating alone, and was about to get back to his game when Fio tried to stop him.

"Wait! Don't you want dessert? It's homemade chocolate cake-your favorite!"

"Nah, it's alright. I'm full. I still need to beat this game before we leave on Monday!" Leon laughed as he already began to boot up the Nintendo 64 console. "I'll do the dishes for you when you're done eating-just give me a shout!"

"Sure, whatever you say!" Fio shrugged at his silliness, and resumed eating.

**Flynn's House**

Because Flynn's house was the closest to Washington D.C., he and his other two friends managed to reach his home faster than expected-no traffic jams and a little speeding over the limit was probably the reason they managed to get home so fast. And because they wanted to get things over with quickly, they packed whatever they needed for the soon-to-be trip to Fio's home country so they could start gaming as soon as possible.

"Marco! Have you seen my swimming trunks! They're a forest camouflage style!" Tarma called from his room. "I can't afford to miss out leaping into her massive swimming pool this time!"

Marco poked his head into his room. "Nope. But I think Flynn has them!" He tried not to snicker.

"Well…apparently they are!" Flynn came down the hallway, holding Tarma's swimming gear. "I don't know how your laundry got messed with mines, but next time, please stop mixing things up!" He headed into his room and tossed the pair of shorts on Tarma's messy bed. "Alright, now I need to pack up my BFG9000!" He proceeded to pull out an oversized metal case, opened it, and inside was an empty spot where the massive Plasma Weapon would go, alongside a couple slots for spare energy cells for charging the monster.

"You're going to bring _THAT_ to the Germi's Estate?" Marco raised an eyebrow as he observed his friend place the huge metallic weapon into the container. "That weapon's labeled as a mass destruction device according to the UN!"

"Hey, I never leave home without this. It's not loaded anyways, so no need to worry about misfires." The US Marine spoke proudly as he pounded his chest a bit. "And besides, I'm sure Mr. Germi would be impressed at the United States' greatest handheld weapon! I don't think the Europeans have developed anything as impressive as this, but who knows." He carefully locked the case, and the container emitted a _beep_ noise from its electronic lock. "This case is security-coded and will only open if it scanned my fingerprint, so no need to worry about theft. If one tries to use explosives to destroy it, they'll fail miserably and realize the case is also blast-proof, but hey, you're going to need it with these psycho maniacs running around with explosives, not to mention this weapon is more valuable than 5 Abrams Tanks combined!"

Tarma rolled his eyes-he was always amazed, yet slightly intimidated, by his ally's crazy obsession with firearms capable of mass destruction. "I'll tell you one thing, I just hope you don't give Fio's dad a heart attack when you open that!"

"Well, when we're done packing, let's game." Flynn pushed the case back into his living room and resumed packing, while Marco did the same.

Five minutes later, the team was finally done packing-deciding that they'd order pizza later for dinner, they thought it was good to waste the evening away with a game of Street Fighter. Booting up Flynn's Playstation 3 (a console that he purchased but rarely played on it unless he had friends over, like right now) both Marco and Tarma decided to play while Flynn watched from the sidelines-he wasn't much of a fan when it came to fighting games, as he loved playing shooter games far more than beat 'em ups. But anyways, he loved observing his friends pit against each other in a rage to dominate the other player.

Throughout the game, it was mostly Marco dominating Tarma in the game-after all, he was a computer expert and an avid gamer. However, all that changed when his friend decided to get serious.

"Alright, Tarma! You're finally beating Marco!" Flynn cheered from the sidelines as Marco and Tarma were rapidly pitting each other, with Tarma finally throwing the heavy attacks in order to knock out his opponent even faster. Both soldiers had intense amounts of sweat pouring down their faces. It was the adrenaline rush from the game, and the intense summer heat that made them sweat that much.

"I told you, Marco! Even if I'm not an avid computer geek and gamer like you, I can still beat you!" The vehicle specialist rapidly mashed some buttons as he delivered a combo of attacks on Marco's character in the game. "All right! 15 hits in a row!" Marco's character continued to take hits as the life bar continually decreased.

It was at this time that Marco had right where he wanted.

"Well guess what, Roving! I've been waiting for this-I didn't hit you with anything strong so I can build up my combo meter!" Marco laughed. "Now I can deliver my one hit KO attack!"

Upon delivering his message, he mashed a few buttons, and his character went into a rage-rushing at Tarma's character, he delivered a massive array of punches, kicks and body slams-the screen flashed brilliantly as Flynn's stereo speakers unleashed blasts of yelling, sounds of punches and kicks going into contact, and screams of pain-coming from Marco's opponent, obviously. On the screen, Tarma's character's health bar rapidly decreased as the attacker continued his assault, and finally, Marco's character unleashed one massive energy blast, finishing off the half-dead victim. The speakers soon blared "Player one wins!" in a dramatic voice, followed by some cheering.

"I win!" Marco laughed as he placed the controller down. "You're going to need more practice, Tarma!"

Chuckling, Tarma placed the controller on the table. "Oh, trust me. I'll get you one day and I'll take your title!"

"That was a good game, boys!" Flynn checked his watch and he realized it was already 8PM. "Well, should we get our food now? I'm sure we can party more tomorrow, because I'm dead beat today after completing those military reports! So we'll get pizza, okay? What toppings do you want on it?"

Both Marco and Tarma, as avid lovers of eating heavily, began to blabber their favorite toppings in a rapid manner.

"Pepperoni."

"Cheese."

"Mushrooms."

"Ham."

"Bacon."

"Squid."

"What?" Marco interrupted. "You put squid on your pizza?"

"Hey, you know me." Tarma replied. "I love seafood!"

Flynn browsed through a brochure he picked up earlier from the local pizza parlor, and shook his head. "They've got everything on the list in terms of ingredients and toppings except for squid, you're out of luck! But anyways, you guys want everything on the pizza you said earlier, minus the one thing Roving made up, correct?"

Both soldiers nodded their heads.

"Alright, I'll be right back! The pizza should be here in 30 minutes, if they are fast." With that, Flynn grabbed his vest and headed out the door. "Stay cool with me boys!"

**At a Local Bar**

While her other teammates decided to spend the time together in two separate groups, Eri decided to follow her own formula-spend time by herself alone at the local pub, like she always did whenever her other comrades were busy with something else. She was extremely used to it-she had no friends when she was younger, and of course, she wasn't a fan of Fio's upbeat manner (not all the time anyways) nor was she fond of hanging out with the boys either with their crazy and immature actions. And unlike her friends, who got along especially well with the recruits, she was never fond of them as she never liked anyone who was lower skilled than her. She sat down on one of the many chairs in front of the counter, and the bartender approached her.

"What'll it be, Miss?" The bartender asked as he cleaned a glass with a cloth.

Eri gave him a look. "The usual-you know, Sprytus, the extremely strong vodka."

"Right away."

She looked at the other people socializing in the bar-many of them were laughing, smiling and joking, and shook her head in dismay. What she couldn't truly understand was the fact why these individuals were always so happy and upbeat-didn't they know the wars that happened had taken a toll on those who fought in them, not to mention their families were also heavily affected?

_90% of these individuals sitting here right now have never fired a gun before, let alone fight. So they don't understand the heavy tolls war can have on us. Can't argue with them, people these days…all tightwads and self-centered individuals thinking they're invincible._

She ruffled her green vest a bit as the bartender gave her the favorite drink. Smiling a bit, she took a sip from it, and sighed.

_If there's one individual that can drink this stuff and survive, I'll respect them-aside from Mr. Taggart. That guy can drink anything and still come out cackling like a 3 year old on drugs…maybe I should-_

"Hey, Eri!" A voice came from behind her, interrupting her thoughts. The explosives commando turned around, and realized it was her commander, Cynthia Greenwood.

"Oh, hey. What are you doing here? I thought you were extremely busy with your tasks and such." She drank her beverage again, taking small sips as usual. It was extremely expensive, so it was better off enjoying it slowly.

The UN SOC Commander took a seat besides her at the counter, with the usual military uniform she always wore-it was extremely difficult to not recognize her in her dark green garbs, extremely long blonde hair, her signature beret with the commander-status stripes, and blue eyes. "Nah, I can always postpone the due dates of the assignments if I wanted to. I heard you were going on vacation with Fio's parents two days from now, I assume?"

"Who told you?" Eri asked.

"Fio's parents did, over the phone. After all, I'm sure her father would call me so you all can be excused for that adventure, even though I'm sure Mr. Germi would roar at us in anger for not allowing us to let him spend time with his precious daughter…and the other teammates he loves to make fun of. And I don't want Adam to court martial the guy, because he's been through that procedure over a dozen times, mostly involving the fact threatening to beat up our agents because we "accidently" flung Fio in the battlefield." Cynthia laughed and smiled nervously. "So, why are you all alone here? I thought you'd be spending time with your other teammates."

"Oh, please." The SPARROWS agent scoffed. "You know me. I'm a lonely soldier with the tendency to hang out by myself 90% of the time."

Her Commander chuckled nervously in response. "Aw, well I can't help you there then. But from all these years you've worked with them, wouldn't you open to them at least a little bit? They've told me a lot of good things about you!"

The last sentence sent her flaring up. "They spoke behind my back! Little…"

"Well, its good traits they said! Except for the fact you're always closed to them. I heard the last time Tarma asked you to help him with an assignment, he ran away from you because he mentioned the fact you ran after him with a grenade launcher!"

"Hmph…I won't go into that, but he threw a hissy fit because I broke his bike, even though he said I "could" test drive it. Not my fault that I love to road rage." Eri continued drumming her fingers on the counter, all the while staring at the glass containing some of her favorite beverage. "Well, anyways, enough with talking about myself-I guess I did a good job intimidating them in the end. But enough of that. Are you coming with us on the trip?"

"Unfortunately, no. As much as I'd love a swim in a massive swimming pool and shake a billionaire's hand, I still have lots of things to take care of back at HQ. I wish you to have the most fun on your leave, though!" Cynthia smiled cheerily.

Both individuals continued talking into the night, and even though the pub was going to be closed, the bartender allowed both girls to stay and chat, even though the only server in the restaurant fell asleep from his tiredness. But then, since the chatting never stopped, they didn't stop socializing until the next morning-all thanks to the drinks they had, they were kept wide awake. By the next day, however, they decided to go their own ways-Eri had to pack up for her vacation for the next day, while Cynthia resumed her usual boring work at the Pentagon.

**2 Days Later at Fio's House…**

The sun shone through the window, and the warm rays bathed Fio's neat and tidy bedroom. She snored gently in her sleep, but all that changed when the alarm clock on the table ticked to 9AM.

The alarm clock went off, and Fio instantly sprang out of her bed happily. She realized today was the day she'd get to meet her parents again, since they hadn't seen each other in almost 5 years. The one thought on her mind at the moment was getting a chance to meet them face to face again-she couldn't wait! She quickly got dressed in her usual military garbs and washed herself in the bathroom-she'd have to hurry. Traffic jams were always a pain to get over, especially on important days like these. It was Monday, and her parents would probably be at the HQ by approximately 11:30 AM.

However, across the hallway, Leon was still asleep. While Fio had gone to sleep early, he was busy, once again, playing Doom 64 until 4 in the morning, and of course, he didn't sleep until late in the night. His snoring was so loud, it echoed into the bathroom across from the hall, and his friend rolled her eyes as she heard the distracting noise while she brushed her teeth. _I wonder if he'll wake up if I pull off all the bed sheets…_she thought as she brushed her teeth. _Oh well, I'll give it a test to see if it works._

As soon as she was done brushing her teeth, she washed up her face, combed her messy hair and quietly headed into his room, where he could see him snoring happily and drooling. She shivered-how could someone possibly drool like a leaking tap? Walking up next to the sleeping soldier, she shook her head but decided to wake him up anyways. "WAKE UP, CORPORAL!" She screamed to the top of her lungs. No response. The US Marine continued snoring and laughing childishly in his sleep. How could someone possibly not hear that ear-piercing scream?

Annoyed, she pulled off the bed sheets and slapped him as hard as she could on his exposed belly, forcing him to suddenly jolt out of his bed in fright as he yelped in pain.

"OWWWWWWWWWWWW!" Shaking and rubbing his eyes sleepily, he turned to see his cute-looking compatriot standing there with an angry expression on her face and arms crossed across her chest. "What was that all about! I was having a nice dream about lots of spaghetti!"

"We're late. And you ruined my bed sheets!" She pointed to the drool-soaked sheets.

Laughing nervously as he scratched the back of his head, Leon chuckled. "Oh…haha…sorry…but why wake me up so early! It's only 9:30! Can't I get some more sleep!"

"Did you not forget! We have to meet my parents at the Pentagon today before noon! And 9:30 is not early-we'd be at work by now if we were not on leave!"

"Oh yeah!" Leon quickly hopped off the bed, grabbed a T-shirt and wore it over his body, and finally slung a flak jacket over it-his signature military look. "Alright, I'm ready to go!" He announced as he slid his trusty customized Desert Eagle into his holster.

Both individuals quickly headed downstairs, collected their luggage, and loaded them into their car. Fio noticed Leon's metallic gun case and tapped him on the back.

"Are you bringing your shotgun with you?" She asked, surprised and puzzled.

"What? Flynn's bringing his BFG9000 for sure so he can show your old man that marvelous piece of technology. Besides, it's always a good thing to pack some heavy firepower with you, you never know when you'll truly need it!" He placed the case into the car's trunk and sighed. "There we go. Looks like I won't be bringing my assault rifle with me. So, who'll drive?"

"I will." She climbed into the driver's seat and Leon hopped in beside her in the passenger seat.

**Flynn's House**

"Zzzzzzzzzz…mmm, lotsa spaghetti!"

"Don't worry ladies…Mr. Roving the Third will sign all your posters! I've got lots of time…"

"That's right…Leon! I'm…going to beat…you in Command and…Conquer…here…Mammoth Tank rush…no hacking needed…zzz…"

All three soldiers were still snoozing happily in their dreams, despite they were supposed to wake up ages ago. However, like Leon, they had stayed up until 4 in the morning arm wrestling, chugging beer, eating lots of pizza, and gaming until they literally dropped dead to the ground and began to snooze away into the night.

What were they dreaming about, you ask? Well, let's just say Flynn was fantasizing about his dream buffet, with all the foods he loved at his disposal to munch down like a pig. Tarma, on the other hand, dreamed of being a movie star in a movie about slick cars and having his fans (raging girls, to be exact) screaming in excitement and trying to get his autograph. And Marco, finally, was dreaming about finally beating Leon at Command and Conquer-despite the fact Marco was a top-notch video gamer, he could never, ever beat the US Marine at the one game he was best in without hacking and modifying the game, which of course made his opponent quite upset. The three continued snoring like pigs, but the sun would soon change that.

Tarma's eyes soon fluttered open as the sunlight bathed on his eyes. Taking off his sunglasses, he rubbed his eyes sleepily as he took a quick peek at his watch. The quality wristwatch's needles displayed it was 9:30AM. The sight of the time made him forget about his awesome dream in an instant.

_Damn! We were supposed to wake up over an hour ago!_ Getting to his feet, he ran over to Flynn, who was still snoring. "Wake up, old man!" He slapped him repeatedly across the face.

"No…my food! Get away!" The soldier began to kick and wave his arms in his sleep, presumably to prevent some thieves from stealing his buffet. Who knows?

"WAKE UP!" Tarma screamed to the top of his lungs and in addition, grabbed a shotgun and fired it out the open window, and the resulting BANG noise sent a small flock of birds perched in a tree flying away in fear. The shotgun blast didn't only scare the creatures outside, though…

"WAAAAAHHHH!" Marco screamed he jumped up from the sudden noise. "Holy crap, for a second I thought we were under attack!" He rubbed his eyes and noticed Tarma holding Flynn's SPAS 12. "Wow, what was that all about! Monday mornings isn't a great time to start off like that!"

"We're late!" The Asian Commando tapped his watch. "We were supposed to meet Fio outside the Pentagon by 11:30 AM, and I doubt we'd make it there in less than 2 hours!" Tarma was already rapidly gathering his essentials and luggage, for he didn't want to be late-he didn't want to give a bad impression to one of the most important figures in the Global Defense Alliance, especially when it was one of his best friend's parents. "Man, are we going to make it with less than 2 hours on the clock!"

Flynn soon awoke from the commotion, scratching his head as he sat up. "Well, today's the day, eh? We'll finally get to see that charming girl's sweet and loving parents. If my dad was still alive, he'd be proud!" He stretched a bit and noticed Tarma holding his shotgun. "Using it to wake us up was a better way than Marco's crazy airstrike siren alarm clock!" In response to his comment, Marco nervously laughed-everyone on his team had a tendency to panic whenever they heard the dreaded siren sound off. It was perhaps the fact they were so accustomed to wars, whenever they heard it, they'd think they were about to get their asses bombed back to hell.

Tarma hefted Flynn's massive crate which contained the BFG9000 and placed it on top of their other heavier luggage. "I'll have to say, Fio's old man is one proud veteran that shows respect for his fellow soldiers, even though he has a tendency to challenge us to an arm wrestle match, just so he can impress himself in front of his wife and daughter. But hey, we couldn't beat him-maybe you can, dude! He can smash both me and Marco into the dirt like it was nothing, despite his age!" He continued gathering the final pieces of luggage.

"Mr. Germi enjoys arm wrestling? Oh man, I have to meet him." Flynn laughed. He placed the SPAS 12 Shotgun into another case, similar to Leon's. Taking a quick glance at the M60 Machine Gun adorned on the wall along with his other weapons. "Think I should bring my M60, guys?"

"Why?" Marco asked. "We're not going to war, why do you need to bring your heavy artillery? The most I'd bring is my handgun, but that's it."

Flynn quickly dug out another case below the display of guns, and placed his heavy machine gun with a few extra box and belt magazines containing 7.62mm ammunition into the container. "Hey, I never leave home without these weapons, and since I'm not coming back for a long time, might as well!" He chuckled as he closed the case carefully and hefted the package like it was a light paperweight, despite the M60 weighing over 20 pounds.

"Mr. Rossi, as much as I'd oppose the fact I love to play with guns, I'd bring my customized bike if I could. This way, we could show how awesome we are in terms of friends with Fio! I'm sure her father would applaud at my customized motorcycle collection!" Tarma laughed and elbowed his friend a bit.

"Yeah, but I don't think her father will like the fact she has a gun nut on her team…"

"I HEARD THAT!" Flynn roared from the other side of the room.

In a hurry, all three men managed to rapidly load Flynn's Humvee with their entire load of luggage, but of course, the US Marine's arsenal was taking up more space than ever, but he didn't seem to mind the issue. Both Marco and Tarma climbed into the back of the armored car while their driver ignited the vehicle.

"Going to road rage again, soldier?" Marco laughed.

"Nah, but I'm going to drive fast if we're going to reach the Pentagon before 11:30." Flynn fastened his seat belt. "Better hang on, soldiers!"

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Tarma nervously spoke as he held on, hoping this guy wouldn't make them puke like mad whenever he was driving.

**Eri's House**

"_Keep moving, everyone! We need to get to that pyramid!" Marco ordered as he pointed up to the structure as more Rebellion soldiers were rapidly closing in on them with intent to kill._

_Sighing and panting from the extreme desert heat, the team of four scrambled up towards the pyramid-like structure-and to their relief, the soldiers that were previously pursuing them were actually retreating. This brought a small moment of relief and security to the team…but the question was-what exactly were they running from? Was it those giant flying seeds in the air that turned soldiers into a pile of foliage mess upon contact? Or was it toxic waste leaking in the area?_

"_I think we lost them." Tarma reported as he eyed them via a pair of binoculars. "But they're fleeing in fear from something and I'm sure it's definitely not us!"_

"_Whatever. We should use this chance to take a break." Marco placed his sidearm back into his belt._

_Fio wiped the sweat rapidly pouring down from her face and gulped a bottle of water to relieve herself from the intense heat wave. "Need water, anyone?" She asked, holding out several bottles of fresh, ice-cold water._

"_Don't mind if I do." Eri chuckled as she took one of the containers and drank her fill._

_As the team of four was relaxing, something was approaching them quietly from the air. A buzzing noise soon filled the afternoon desert sky, and Tarma was among the first to notice it. He knew it was bad…for it was one of those dreaded mutant insects._

"_Uh…guys…I think we got company!" His message came too late, however. One of the giant locust-like creatures swooped down with lightning speed, grabbed Marco, and lifted him into the sky before the team could react. The soldier desperately tried to fight the grip of the monstrous insect, but its strength was immeasurable compared to a normal human…_

"_Marco! NO!" Fio yelped in horror._

_As they witnessed their comrade get feasted upon by the mutant helplessly, one of the man-eating plants suddenly appeared from a crack in the stone silently. It extended its jaws and grabbed Fio in one snatch._

"_NO!" Eri desperately fired her magnum revolver at the plant, but it didn't stop it from feasting on the SPARROWS agent. In a couple of chews, she was done for. It was only later that she realized that Tarma had also fallen victim to another mutant mosquito. Alone and surrounded by these mutant abominations from god knows where, she could do little to fight as the last thing she witnesses was feeling 4 mutated plants tearing her apart limb by limb, piece by piece…_

"NO!" She woke up abruptly, breathing in fright and desperation. "Oh…just a dream…" She muttered as she slapped her forehead. _I really have to stop watching horror movies by myself before heading off to bed…because that's what I get for nightmares. Those crazy things chasing me in my sleep…even after months, those ugly mutants still haunt us…_

The alarm clock rang shortly, and Eri peered over to the device. The monochrome numbers displayed on the clock read "9:40 AM".

_Oh damn it, I'm going to be late again. I just hope Fio won't be mad at me…but then, she's got Leon to accompany her. Heh._

Kicking herself out of bed, she immediately got dressed, geared up and was ready in less than five minutes. This was her skill-as an extremely quick-on-the-mind individual, she could get out of bed and be ready to get going in an extremely short amount of time.

Heading into her kitchen, she quickly took a quick gulp from the soda she didn't finish from last night-there was no time to get anything to eat. As soon as the can was empty, she tossed it into the recycling receptacle and wiped her mouth, sighing from the bitter taste of the drink.

_Better get moving._ She headed out the door and climbed onto her motorcycle. She didn't have to bring much-for she had filled up all she needed in two backpacks. Unlike the other soldiers, the only weapon she brought with her was her customized magnum revolver. Revving her bike a bit, she carefully maneuvered the vehicle onto the road and headed off to the Pentagon.


	2. Meetings, Greetings and the Partying

_**Here's part 2! Well, I'll say, it took me quite a while.**_

**Outside the Pentagon**

As Fio and Leon were the first individuals to actually wake up early and head out at exactly 9:30 AM, they were among the first to reach the Pentagon. Monday mornings were no surprise when it came to traffic-the highways were always jam-packed with cars, but a bit of patience and some music made the trip not so-boring…but man, did Fio get annoyed by the snoring of her friend!

Both individuals sat outside on a nearby bench with their load of necessary luggage, waiting for her family to arrive and meet them. Minutes passed, and it wasn't long before both of Fio's parents emerged from the Pentagon's front doors after a meeting-as soon as they saw their beloved daughter, they couldn't help but call to her.

"Fio!"

In response, the SPARROWS agent sprinted towards both of them and the happy family trio was all group hugging and was reunited after not seeing each other for almost five years, leaving Leon standing there, staring in quite a shock. He shook his head a bit and tried to keep his cool.

"Mom! Dad! I missed you so much!" She cheered happily, all the while clutching her parents with her arms.

"How's my little angel doing? Sorry we're late, but were talking to Cynthia about, well…getting substitutes to fill in for your assignments. No need to worry about it-those assignments will be finished by those ones who were actually responsible for them!" Her father chuckled. Mr. Germi (real name classified for security and military protocols) was a middle-aged man with dark brown hair and quite an impressive build, a flashy mustache with quite the comical appearance and a heavily battle-scarred face, presumably from the Gulf Wars.

Fio's mother rubbed her daughter's hair playfully. "Have you been eating well, sweetie? You seem thinner now!" Mrs. Germi, on the other hand, was nearly identical to her daughter, with the exception her hair was slightly reddish and was slightly less messy.

"Aw, mom! You know I can cook and feed myself just as well as you!"

As the Germi family socialized among themselves, Leon approached over slowly, eyes widened. Never in his life had he met such a happy family even in a world suffering devastating wars and conflicts! He tried to open his mouth but he couldn't speak upon seeing Mr. Germi's impressive build. "Uh…hi?"

"So…Fio, is this…your friend you've been telling me?" Her father questioned, judging Leon's physical appearance. His glare had literally turned the Marine to stone!

The SPARROWS agent wandered over to the soldier, placed her left hand around his shoulder and pulled him tightly towards her, as if she was about to pose for a best buddies picture with Leon. "Oh, this is Leon Chan! He used to be a former US Marine, but because he disobeyed an order in an unauthorized operation, he got himself transferred over to our commando team! I have to say, he's a really, really impressive soldier with the exception he loves to crack jokes and the fact I had to teach him manners on how to eat! So, what do you think of him? Isn't he a great friend?" As she blabbered on, Leon didn't say a word because he knew she'd shut him up with something like "Aup bup bup! No interruptions!" or "Wait your turn!" even though he wasn't happy with her blurting out information not supposedly to be given out. If his crimes went public, he would be definitely be forced to go into hiding for a while.

It wasn't long till Fio's father had stuck out his hand for a handshake. "The name's Mr. Germi-can't tell you my first name though, they've got spies everywhere. Damn rebels. Anyways, I'm a former NATO soldier that served during the Gulf Wars, but now I'm the head of Europe's R&D for the Global Defense Alliance and I've worked with your father for over 10 years-he was a great man until he passed away. With the exception that you were an extremely rebellious child, everything he said was true about you. I also have to thank you for looking out for Fio out in the warzone. Sorry if I sounded a little scary there, but then, if you read my files, I'm not the friendliest soldier out there. Put her there!"

Leon shook his hand hesitantly. "Yes, it's an honor to meet a veteran billionaire. Like Fio said, I'm Leon Chan, Corporal of the US Marines Space Division. I'm sure my father would be proud if he saw me here today shaking your hand! And I'm just doing my job-providing cover fire and support for my teammates!" He grinned nervously, shaken, shocked and amazed from shaking the hand of one of the most powerful individuals in the world.

"Aw, so this is your friend, Fio? He's so cute, just like you said!" Fio's mother smiled, approached him and pinched his cheeks silly. "You remind me of your father, although you're far cuter! Trust me, my husband is very disobedient! I think you two would get along really well!"

Crossing his arms and tapping his feet, Mr. Germi rolled his eyes. "Well thanks for that! They can't simply throw my cute little Fiolina in the battlefield-somebody needs to stand up to her!" He was referring to the times where he threatened superior officers to recall her daughter's deployment whenever she was tossed to the frontlines. Caused by paperwork fiascos and corrupt government actions, as always.

Leon felt a bit annoyed as Fio's mother messed with his hair. "Hey! Cut it out! That's not funny!" In response, her father and the SPARROWS agent laughed heartily. _Like Mother like Daughter…I guess it was true._ Mr. Chan thought helplessly.

The group of four continued to socialize, mostly about Leon and his silliness. However, it was Fio's father that enjoyed the stories about the soldier the most, since he was looking for someone that could lighten up his dull, boring life with jokes. "I'll tell you one thing," He spoke gruffly. "Corporal Leon is by far better than any comedian I've paid attention to, and that's saying a lot even though we met for 2 minutes! I never heard of anyone whom lost their pants during a paratrooper assault or had a grenade explode in their pants and survive, I wish I was there to have seen it!"

"Why…thank you…" Leon laughed nervously. "My team calls me the funniest member on the team-serves me right to fight when I don't have any pants on! Haha!"

"Oh look, here comes my other friends!" Fio announced as a Humvee came to a halt in the parking lot.

A couple of minutes later, Marco, Tarma, and Flynn emerged from monster truck Humvee, and after unloading their shipments consisting of their luggage, not to mention Flynn's monstrous firearms collection, the trio headed over to the group and greeted each other with smiles.

"Oh, if it isn't Mr. Rossi and Mr. Roving, and another stranger I don't seem to recognize!" The billionaire chuckled. "Why don't you introduce yourself, young man?"

As Marco and Tarma greeted Mrs. Germi, the UAAF Marine saluted to Fio's old man with a sick smile. "I'm Flynn Taggart, First Lieutenant for the US Space Marines and for the Commando Team. Been serving with these youngsters since the European Crisis and I am the one responsible for delivering the overwhelming firepower I'm always known for! And I'm no young man-I'm a 39 year old dog with quite a history!"

"I have to say, you've got an impressive build…" Mr. Germi was amazed at the soldier's bulging muscle and body, all adorned by his bulky combat armor suit (codenamed the XM8000 Composite Armor Vest) which were capable of repelling most armor-piercing bullets with no difficulties. "Want to challenge me to an arm wrestling match sometime? I'd love to test my prowess even at my old age of 53!"

"Be glad to!" Flynn laughed. "I've been looking forward to it ever since I heard about your participation in the Gulf War!"

"Uh just one thing, though. That's not something my wife likes to talk about all the time, so here's a little secret-don't talk about it when she's around!" He nervously whispered into the Marine's ear. "Trust me, she gets tired of me whenever I talk about it…I wonder why I ended up with her anyways since she dislikes "warmongering freaks"!"

"I'll agree with that…most of my teammates are like that in general." The soldier shrugged a bit and hollered over to Marco. "Dude! Are the cases containing my weapons firmly locked and secured?"

"Yes!" A voice called back.

The word "weapons" caught the veteran's attention. "What'd you bring, my good man?" Fio's father asked, observing the massive metallic crates. His eyes were mostly kept on the massive one about half the size of an office table. "That one…what's in it? I know you have a shotgun and M60 but that one…it looks quite a large weapon for a handheld firearm!"

Crossing his arms, Mr. Taggart decided to keep it a secret-the security guards weren't particular fond of a trigger-happy soldier running around with a mass-destruction device on government property. "I'll tell you when we get out of the US, let's just say it's a Big Freaking Gun. That's what I called the gun ever since I first received it!"

"So, are you two getting along?" Fio bounced over and asked.

"Indeed! Your old pops promised to arm wrestle me once we get the chance!" He flexed his muscles a bit and dusted his signature combat armor.

"I have to see _that_!" Leon spoke excitedly upon overhearing the conversation.

Meanwhile, both Marco and Tarma were socializing with Mrs. Germi, both men nervously scratching their heads as they socialized. "So, has my daughter been treating you well? How has she been performing on the battlefield?" Her mother asked with a big smile-exactly like Fio did 95% of the time.

Tarma chuckled slightly. "Oh yes! Out of all of us, she has got to be the most upbeat and helpful ones! I mean, as soon as she hears our stomach grumble, she'll throw some awesome food at us! I'm just glad I don't have to pack extra military rations because those are awful!" He shivered a bit from the time where he had to gulp down a ration pack that was over 4 weeks expired, and the fact it was some weird-smelling crap he couldn't seem to recognize. "Beggars can't be choosers." He groaned as he reminded himself at that time.

"I'm just glad my daughter is making such great friends in the military! When she was forced to join at the age of 18 by my husband, she was crying and whining all the time! Oh my, it took ages to settle the poor girl down, not to mention a lot of tissues! But hey, he was so stubborn, there were no negotiations-the most adorable being I know was going to be sent off to the war! I'm beginning to wonder why my crazy husband thought that pint-sized baby of mines was going to be soldier material anyways!" She laughed heartily.

"Mom! Stop embarrassing me!" Fio called, having overheard the conversation. "I'm no longer 10 years old!"

Both Peregrine Falcon Commandos could only laugh while (literally) rolling around on the ground, as it was actually true. They soon managed to stop cackling like maniacs but they held their stomachs from laughing too hard-this was the case for Tarma, whom had trouble settling down as he was known to be the carefree joker. He continued to snicker, albeit slightly and quietly.

"Alright, that's enough soldier." Marco didn't find the joke amusing, however. It was probably because he was the head man of the team and if he made himself look like a clown, he'd be a disgrace to the entire squad and not to mention give a bad impression of both himself and all his members in general. "But yeah, that's how we met the girl. The day she saw us, it was friendship at first sight. Anyways, glad to see you again, Mrs. Germi! It's been a while-I'd say almost 5 years!"

"You boys have both grown up so much! The last time I saw you both, you still looked like high-school graduates! But now both of you look like impressive young men!" Her mother complemented in a cheery, upbeat voice.

As they usually did, both commandos blushed a bit and scratched their heads nervously. The sound of a motorcycle approaching soon interrupted their conversation, and Eri soon pulled up to the trio on her sleek, motorcycle (customized by Tarma, of course, after some intense begging and cute face imitations). "Sorry I'm late, but I ran into some traffic on the way." She hopped off her bike, grabbed both backpacks and sighed with relief. "So, what's with the commotion?"

"Oh, you must be Eri, Fio's partner!" Mrs. Germi greeted the explosives commando.

"That's me, and you are? Sorry, my memory is not that great." She scratched her head nervously while smiling.

"I'm Fio's mother, silly! Just call me Mrs. Germi, nothing too complicated needed!"

"I knew that childish look and voice sounded familiar…no offense intended." Eri mumbled a bit. "So, are we ready to head off? I thought you guys would ditch me even though I arrived like 15 minutes late, but it wasn't my fault. There was some detour on Highway 52, some blind bats blocked half the lane in a crash."

Tarma smiled and slapped her back while shrugging. "Nah, we were just busy chatting! But now that you said it, we should head off now!"

**US Air Force Military Base, Mr. Germi's Personal Jet, 13 hours (Standard Military Time)**

After all that was said and done during their stay at the Pentagon, the entire team headed to the local air base, where Fio's father had landed his private aircraft for refueling during his arrival. Considered to be one of the richest individuals alive on the planet, the billionaire, being a veteran and the head of a research company, the man was capable of affording pretty much anything he wished-even space weapons, if it became necessary. But then, because of his wife's anti-war attitudes, he scrapped plans to build up an arsenal of top secret super weapons in order to sell to the Global Defense Alliance.

What _really_ amazed the individuals was that Mr. Germi's personal aircraft was actually a heavily modified supersonic bomber-while it could be designed to engage enemies, it was not armed at the moment but it could also serve as a luxury vehicle, and this, of course, sent both US Marines dropping their jaws.

"…wow. I've heard of rich dudes flying around their planes like they're riding bikes…but THIS TAKES THE CAKE! A B-1 Lancer re-modified for supersonic flight!" Flynn gasped as he headed into the vehicle, amazed at the supersonic bomber/transport hybrid. "At least, this door is actually tall enough for me to fit through for once!"

The wealthy veteran chuckled. "Oh, this is nothing. Wait till you see my personal Battlecruiser and a custom Wolverine Battle Mech I customized myself! Sometimes I really think I have way too much money, but then, I already donated a lot of it to the veteran's fund and the GDA. That's why you commandos get free stuff all the time! That's why whenever I get a bill it's always related to something such as Mr. Taggart's beer expenses and Fio's dining costs! But don't break a sweat-I don't know how much to thank you guys for backing up my girl out there."

Leon shuffled his flak jacket a bit, trying to cool himself down from the intense summer heat. "Well, maybe you should tell them to give me a personal AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter then." He laughed as he headed into the aircraft, carrying his case containing the shotgun. "I want one of those babies to complement my arsenal."

"I want a customized military bike with jet engines if he gets an Apache!" Tarma shot up. Even though he could build one himself if he really wanted to, he lacked the funds to gather the necessary material to construct such a marvel.

"My, you boys are obsessed with military hardware, just like my husband!" Mrs. Germi chuckled nervously.

"…this is just the beginning." Eri groaned as she headed into the aircraft. "But then, I'm also a big fan of collecting weapons, so don't blame them." She was referring to her impressive revolver and handgun collection she had in her house.

"Enough chitchat, let's get moving!" Tarma cheered as he signaled the team to get into the vehicle.

Approximately 30 minutes later, they were airborne and were headed for their destination-Genova, Italy-namely, Fio's hometown.

Most of the individuals were separated as they tended to their own business-while Flynn was getting the adrenaline-pumping arm wrestling match he always wanted with the billionaire veteran (of course, he had his own pilot despite the fact he was a veteran pilot and soldier from the Gulf War, and flying wasn't really his thing), Marco was busy socializing with Fio's mother about his battle experiences, while Eri and Fio sat near the back conversing themselves, with the demolitions expert busily flipping through a weapons magazine while the support gunner was of course, checking out the latest fashion magazine. Tarma talked to Leon was he was busily cleaning his Benelli M4 Super Shotgun, something both individuals loved to do to waste their spare time on long trips-let it be going to a tropical country or being paradropped into the warzone somewhere in the desert or jungle.

As the US Marine and Italian veteran attempted to best each other, their heads were pouring with sweat with their faces turning redder than a ripe cherry. There was no clear cut winner-both individuals were just far too evenly matched, but then, that's what both soldiers exactly liked. A grueling match with a worthy opponent deemed impossible to defeat, as winning to them didn't matter anymore. Like they said personally: _"I don't know how many times we were forced to retreat even though we tried our best!"_ Their moral of this was the fact winning wasn't everything if you came home in a body bag.

"Whew!" Flynn puffed a bit as he wiped his brownish-blonde hair which was soaked with sweat. "I guess I've finally found someone capable of matching me!" He took a gulp from a glass of beer from the table at his side.

In response, his opponent laughed slightly. "Well, at least I know who to go to when I need some exercise. Whenever I challenge the other Marines I meet, they always end up having their hands malfunctioning for at least 3 days! 1st Lieutenant Flynn Taggart, I would be happy if you would tell me more of your stories in the Marines!" As a veteran himself, he lived to hear the adventures of fellow war heroes that have strived to their limits to make their names in history books and hall of fames.

"Whoa, don't get that formal on me, soldier." Flynn scratched his head nervously while shaking his hands in a "no" fashion. "But then, if you say so, I'll tell them! I have hundreds! Maybe I should mention the weapons I have in that case while I'm at it, since we're out of sight from the damn government."

"Oh?" Mr. Germi perked up. "What do you have in those cases?"

"The BFG9000, a M60 and a SPAS 12 Shotgun." Flynn replied hastily. "A mass destruction device, a classic American machine gun, and the famous Italian-made combat shotgun. But I'll tell more about that after I'm done my storytelling."

"I'm all ears, Marine."

And so, his storytelling began as Mr. Germi paid close attention to the chattering veteran US Marine nodding and saying "mhm" occasionally as he spoke.

Across from the aircraft's cabin, Marco and Mrs. Germi observed them as they chattered about their teammates, experiences, and adventures from the very first war all the way up to the times when the Venusians decided to turn Humans and Martians alike into a quick midnight snack. "Mr. Taggart must be sharing his war hero stories again." He muttered a bit, overhearing his friend's endless chatter from across where he sat.

"Do you boys always do that?" Fio's mother asked. "I know my husband does it all the time at the dinner table, even though Fio and I never really bother paying attention-it is his brothers in arms that always listen! I respect him for being a veteran, but he never stops ranting!" She tried not to laugh childishly.

"Just like our good old Marine friend. I think your husband now has a new friend…and that's saying a lot! Few can make friends with Flynn-he's a hardcore war nut that's really difficult to prove yourself to-when I tried to arm wrestle him, he slammed my arm into the ground like it wasn't even there! But he didn't injure me, so I guess I should be thankful for that." He cracked his fists a bit. "Don't mind that, I do it all the time."

While they were both out of the hearing range of others (not to mention everyone else was preoccupied at the moment), Mrs. Germi decided to ask the PF Commando about how well he had been getting along with her daughter. "Mr. Rossi, if you don't mind…"

"Marco will do. No need to get too formal on me!" He smiled a bit.

Smiling, she continued her question. "How has Fio been treating you? Aside from Eri, you're her closest friend. Then ever since the other two boys joined from the Marines, Leon's more of a punching bag for that little angel. What about you?"

"Well…let's just say she's treating me like everyone else on the team-caring and loving like we're all a family member." He drummed his fingers a bit. "And uh…well, she never fails to cheer us up when we need it the most-we feel like we never owe enough to her despite the fact we try our best. While she thanks us with the best homemade meals and family comfort only the most hard-bitten soldier could ever dream of on the cold battlefields, the best we can give her is our absolute promise to keep her from harm and a bit of love in return."

"Aw, well I suppose as long as you do your best, she'll be happy." She patted him on the shoulder. "When I had to raise her, she wasn't the wanting type-as long as she got her teddy bear and comfort from me and my husband, she was happy. I don't know why, but I think what makes her really happy is seeing those ones around her that are happy." Her mother smiled a bit, thinking about the times where she had to deal with both her and Mr. Germi. "A blink of an eye and it's already 20 years…"

As soon as she mentioned how time had passed, the memories of Marco's previous tours and wars instantly flashed back into his mind like a bad memory. "It sure has…" He replied with a somber face.

"What's wrong? Would you mind if you told me? Fio always said you had this problem of always recalling to your past and going into a deep depression."

"Uh…yeah. I'll tell it to ya, if you don't mind. It's quite a story involving the loss of almost all my childhood compatriots."

Fio's mother smiled slightly. "Of course I don't."

Taking a quick drink from his beer, he began his story of his first missions and the deaths of all his squad mates save for Tarma and himself. Interestingly, both storytellers that told their adventures to the Germi family were high-ranking military leaders (Flynn was a US Marine Lieutenant while Marco was the platoon leader of his squad as a whole, not to mention being an important representative for the Regular Army as a whole).

_Click._

"That should do it." Leon disassembled his shotgun and began placing the pieces of the disassembled weapon on the table. "These weapons are definitely easier to maintain than the SPAS-12 series of shotguns, that's for sure." He brought out a cloth and began cleaning the components of his weapon, all the while dumping pieces of dried up debris in the weapon into a nearby trash bin, chewing some gum as he did so.

Tarma carefully managed his own .50 Murder sidearm, the mainstream pistol among most Regular Army combatants. However, ever since the European Crisis, they were now allowed to select their own sidearms of choice. As Leon and Flynn were not satisfied with the lack of deadly firepower with the stock handguns the Regular Army provided them, they decided to stick with customized Desert Eagles and Beretta 92FS pistols, respectively. "Hey Leon, ever consider transferring over to our corps in the event we get disbanded as commandos? You know, the day they might pull us out." He asked as he stuck a cotton ball into his handgun and removed some sticky dust in the barrel interior of his handgun.

"Not sure." The US Marine carefully oiled the interior of the shotgun barrel with a cotton swab, removing all unnecessary obstructions that might cause the shotgun to jam. "They probably wouldn't take me or Flynn back anyways, even though they still consider us a part of their units. But then, we've hung out with you guys for almost 5 years…" He trailed off a bit and continued his cleaning procedure. "Although with the tag "US Marine" slapped on my official profile, I still don't feel I belong with you guys." He looked out the window and observed the clouds, resembling massive carpets of cotton candy, pass by the endless sky.

"Hey, cheer up, Corporal. You know you're a part of us ever since you went against Greyfield." Tarma placed his handgun down and grinned a bit. "Besides, we would hate it if you left us. I'm sure Marco would, as he can't even get over mourning the losses of all of his 8 other friends that died in the first war-especially the girls on the team. But then…I feel his pain." He took off his sunglasses and placed them into the pocket of his vest.

Leon began to re-assemble his shotgun back together, having cleaned out all the necessary components. "Yeah, I suppose so. I'd say I would also have a tough time trying to leave you guys." His mind turned to the thoughts of his dead compatriots-all 9 other friends dead in a couple of days. "Let's change the subject."

Behind them, Eri grumbled a bit from Fio's occasional giggling as she forced herself to ignore her childish actions.

"Oh, Eri, this looks so cute! Do you think dress will look fat on me?" She tapped her shoulder and made her look at a light-blue ballroom dress displayed in the magazine. "I so want it if it looks good on me!"

Slapping her forehead in frustration, she looked like she was about to slam her head on the table. "I'm your partner, not your fashion advisor. And don't ask me, I absolutely hate getting stuck in those pajamas." She shot back a bit and continued to browse through her magazine. "Hmm, a Milkor MGL Grenade Launcher…I might get this. It'll be a great complement to my explosives arsenal." She turned the page, and noticed the new models of grenade launchers being introduced possibly in the future. "XM25 prototypes…well, can't afford them, so I'll stick with my current weapons." She closed the leaflet and took a sip from her drink. "And like I was saying, get whatever you want-but don't drag me into your interests."

"Aw, come on! Dancing can be fun! I'll teach you!" Fio placed the brightest smile on her face, which literally shocked her compatriot. "All we need to do is find you the proper dress for the occasion! I think this green one will suit you very well!"

"DON'T YOU DARE-" But as she raised her voice, everyone in the aircraft gave her an awkward stare. Noticing the situation, Eri instantly chuckled nervously as her face reddened a bit. "Oh…never mind that." She sat back down, and everyone else did so while muttering amongst themselves. "Like I said, no, I don't want to dance like a fool, alright!" She whispered tensely. If there was one person on the Commando team that hated social dancing (or ballroom dancing in Fio's perspective) it was her. She absolutely _despised_ it and could not stand it for more than 5 seconds, let alone wear a dress in the first place!

"But you'll never get any friends if you keep being so closed to yourself! I'll find something neat for you to wear…" Fio flipped through the magazine, hoping to find a dress that would actually fit her friend.

Crossing her arms across her chest, Eri continued to gaze out the window as the sun began to set amongst the endless ocean of clouds. "I don't need friends, remember what I said? We all die alone-when I was younger, friends were a non-existent object that hindered me. We're all solitary creatures and that'll continue until we drop dead somehow." She released a trouble-sounding sigh.

"Feeling sad?"

"No." Eri sternly replied.

"But aren't you said that you aren't getting along as well as everyone else is? I mean, look at Tarma and Leon!" Fio poked her head over to them and observed the two soldiers chatter amongst themselves while teaching each other how to use weapons, as Tarma never had experience with USMC weaponry while Leon had never held a standard FN FAL Rifle before (the standard assault rifle for frontline Regular Army soldiers). Smiling a bit, she sat back down and looked at her compatriot, whom was trying to sleep.

_Perhaps there is really nothing much that can be done to change her…_

Everyone on the plane soon fell asleep as dusk approached and as they were nearing in on their destination.

**Germi Estate, Genova (about 13 hours later)**

"Hey, wake up!" A voice spoke.

All the teammates crammed in the limousine stirred a bit, shook their heads, and yawned. Apparently, they had fallen asleep on the aircraft and had snoozed until the next early morning.

Fio's father once again called for the Commandos to wake up. "Wake up, everyone. We're here. I didn't want to wake you guys up because you were all snoozing so happily. The guys threw you into the limousine, but at least you're not all stacked on top of each other. But anyways, welcome to my beautiful home."

Marco grunted a bit and climbed out of the vehicle. "Oh…how long have we been sleeping?" As he yawned and stretched, his other teammates all began to get to their senses and climb out of their vehicle. What stood before him was the Germi Estate.

It was perhaps one of the grandest objects the team had ever seen in their lives. The mansion was so large it was probably capable of probably accommodating at least 500 people, comparable to a miniature hotel. A swimming pool, sports field, shooting range, armory, garden, and even a go-kart racetrack all surrounded the massive structure. If one didn't know that the wealthy family lived here, they could have thought this place was some fancy grand hotel for people with fat wallets. From the outside, the building looked like the typical rich man's home, as dozens of glass windows were seen visible on the house and the architecture design of the estate was primarily snow-white bricks-but this one was _much_ larger compared to a typical mansion a millionaire would show you with pride and was by far probably more expensive than any regular mansion, probably not even affordable by a millionaire. Outside the mansion were dozens of armed guards in tactical uniforms, many of them equipped with HK G36 Assault Rifles and standing idly still in their positions as if they were statues (European countries tended not to adopt the popular American M16 series as they found them prone to failure). One of the guards saluted as Mr. and Mrs. Germi approached them, and they soon began to mumble about something the team couldn't hear about. They were discussing that they would authorize their visitors to enter the mansion, for security reasons.

As Flynn hopped out of the car, he was just astonished at the mansion's appearance. "Fio…this is your home? It's…it's…just impressive. I can't imagine buying such a place even with all my combined life savings."

"Yep! I've been living here until my departure into the military!" She cheerfully replied with a proud attitude. "Come on, everyone! I have to show you around this place!"

"God damn it…your old man is rich." Flynn rubbed his eyes as he tried to realize what he was really seeing. After a bit more reality checks, he confirmed the mansion was in fact existent and not some whacked out dream thanks to tons of beers. "Ok, I'm not dreaming."

"Let's check it out, I suppose. Haven't been here for quite some time so it might be worth seeing the attractions again." Eri holstered her magnum revolver, ensuring it was secure. Meanwhile, Tarma wandered up next to her with a big fat grin.

"You know, if we get married, we can buy such a-"

Eri quickly cut him off abruptly. "Forget it, that isn't happening in years!"

"I was kidding, girl!" Tarma laughed a bit. Meanwhile, a couple of guards assisted in moving their luggage into the mansion-but once they started moving the crate containing Flynn's weapons, the soldier immediately rushed over as if someone was trying to move a grand statue of his. The surprised guards instantly moved away from the crates as if they were thieves abandoning heavy loot while fleeing from the law.

"Hey hey hey! I can take that myself!" He grasped the crates containing the shotgun and M60, puzzling the guards. He didn't want anyone to break or steal his personal weapons, even though they were locked away safely in specialized containers only accessible by the weapon owner him/herself.

"But soldier, Mr. Germi gave me direct orders to move them-"

Flynn quickly grabbed the crate's handle and yanked it away from the personnel. "Well, tell him these are my personal belongings and are properties of the United States Space Marines Corps. You got it, recruit? Because I'm putting the blame on you if these containers break and the contents are either damaged or missing!" To add to the threatening gesture, he pushed his finger against their chests, forcing them to back off a bit.

"Uh…yes." The guards immediately hurried off. On their response, Mr. Taggart chuckled a bit and proceeded to push all three weapons towards the house. Meanwhile, Mr. Germi approached him and shook his head.

"Something wrong?" Flynn asked. "Didn't mean to intimidate your men, but this stuff in the box is something damn precious that ain't leaving my sight."

"Nah. I was just impressed how you could scare the guards! Don't worry-they'll understand. They just never meet soldiers as intimidating as yourself." He slapped the Marine on the shoulder while laughing a bit. "Come on, you should all get changed and go party for the afternoon-my guys will handle the luggage for you. Don't worry-I'll ensure none of the contents will be stolen, missing or damaged."

Stacking all three crates together, he turned to the rich man. "I'll take care of this load myself. In this very case holds some important technology I'm going to present to you later-I cannot bear to afford it being stolen or damaged. So it never leaves my sight!" He patted the crate containing the BFG9000 and Fio's father nodded a bit in response.

"Hey guys! We're going to go swimming, you guys coming!" Tarma called. In response, everyone cheered-they were all looking forward to cool off in the massive swimming pool especially on a hot summer afternoon.

"I'll be there later!" Leon called over. Hefting his case containing the Benelli M4 Shotgun, he surveyed the surroundings and smiled. He finally felt a bit relieved to escape the stress of office work and get a chance to experience a bit of slacking off and such. His mind was placed on the swimming pool, go-kart track and shooting range-after all he wanted to relax and challenge his friends a bit. It was when his thoughts were interrupted when Fio wandered up beside him.

"Hey, uh, I forgot to tell you something…" She spoke with her hands held behind her back.

"Oh?" The soldier replied. "What is it?"

"Well…I just wanted to say your father used to live here during his stay in Europe when he was working alongside my dad. I didn't really want to spoil the surprise, though…but I thought you'd like to visit his office at my house. If you don't mind a few minutes lost from swimming, I can show you around!"

Leon raised an eyebrow in response. "He has an office at your house?" _Man, things just get crazier by the moment, but then, my dad never told me about his experiences at work so I don't blame anyone, I guess…_

"I'll show it to you, if you don't mind!"

"Be my guest." With that, he hastily followed his guide. Meanwhile, the rest of the squad proceeded to their own rooms to get changed, where everyone had to share a room with someone else. The pairings were obvious, though. Marco would always be paired with Tarma, Eri would be with Fio, and Flynn would definitely be crashing in the same room with Leon.

**Old Office, Germi Estate**

The interior of the Fio's family estate was much more impressive as if it wasn't grand enough on the outside already-while the exterior sure would amaze any commoner that hadn't been to a mansion, the interior could be described comparable to a five-star hotel. The hallways were furnished and decorated with the most beautiful woodwork ever, while chandeliers adorned with crystals would illuminate the hallways with their glaring, yet tranquil light. Famous paintings, mostly depicting soldiers in battle and weapons of war, were often seen alongside hung on the walls of the massive, endless hallways of the house. Occasionally, the pictures displayed antique weapons such as M4 Sherman Tanks and soldiers landing on the beaches of Normandy from a long-forgotten war. Another picture displayed Mr. Germi getting a handshake from an important figure, presumably the American or a European President, for his contributions and feats in the Gulf War. Along the way, Leon was just impressed-how could someone possibly afford all of this and be satisfied? It seemed like a huge punch to the wallet in his view anyways.

"Wow, you have a family of three, but yet you own a house that can accommodate an entire platoon of soldiers. How can you possibly live in this huge place?" Leon asked.

"We're not the only ones that live here, silly!" Fio replied. "My father's entire R&D team also lives here. The guards here are actually off-time soldiers that need something to do when they're off-duty, because when war does break out, this place is deserted and my pop lives at the Global Defense Alliance HQ instead!" She skipped down the hallway as her guest followed. A few officials, presumably GDA R&D members, smiled at the two youngsters as they passed by.

_My father used to work for one of the richest and wise men ever lived…and instead he used his funding to support me when I was back in Hong Kong. He could've treated himself with all that cash. Sigh…perhaps if he was alive today, I'd express how grateful I was to him, despite the fact he was strict and harsh on my lifestyles._

The two soon reached a door which had a plaque saying "Mr. Chan's office". The guard standing outside the door looked at the two soldiers and greeted them.

"What can I do for you two kids? You know this office is off limits to outsiders." He started off, hefting his assault rifle while adorned in black-colored tactical gear. "Unless you have proper clearance or you are somehow clearly related to the deceased scientist in terms of family relations, I cannot let you in. Beyond these doors holds some confidential military secrets the world is not supposed to know." As Leon's father was a scientist that assisted in the design of weapons, it was kept secure from enemy spies, infiltrators and thieves in any method possible.

As Fio was about to open her mouth to explain, her friend held up a hand. "I'm the son of Mr. Chan." Leon spoke gruffly. "The infamous US Marine convict accused of launching a one-man assault that resulted in the downfall of the Fourth Reich and ended the war effectively. I'm sure you're familiar with that incident, I suppose?" Turning to the SPARROWS agent, he shrugged a bit. "They wouldn't believe you if they said I was his son."

The guard instantly nodded and unlocked the door. "Well, you sure remind me of him with that voice and look…" He trailed off a bit. "Go ahead and head on inside. You are allowed to access all files and documents within, for you are his successor. Just be careful-most information present within this room is classified military secrets, so be careful with what you see."

Stepping inside the old office, Leon looked around and sighed upon seeing the very place where his father had worked and lived in when he was on duty. "So this is where my old man worked…and I didn't know all this time. Thought he slept in some old rickety barracks like the rest of the Marines do..." Strolling over to the desk where a few folders and papers were set, he flipped through the documents. "I suppose this is his work throughout his lifetime?" He asked Fio as he placed the case on the floor.

"That's what my dad told me. No one is allowed to view that, but then, I suppose you have the authority to do so." She joined the soldier over at the desk. "Wow, I didn't know he was responsible for developing the Laser Rifle!"

Leon proceeded to flip through a file that had the words "Prototype Laser Weapon X-2" stamped on the front of the folder. Inside the file were papers and blueprints that detailed the infamous laser weapon that only commandos were authorized to use, but was met with limited deployment because of its insane ammunition consumption rate and vulnerabilities to failure. It was later replaced by the newer models of Pulse Rifles that were currently being field-tested at the moment. "Yeah…but it looks like his work didn't seem to last long. No one wanted to adopt that crazy weapon as it was easy to electrocute ourselves with that beast."

Fio tried not to laugh from a previous experience. "Tarma nearly fried his hair once when he used it!"

The other folder had "X-66 Prototype Combat Armored Vehicle" displayed on the front. This designation was used for the testing model of vehicles that would eventually lead to the deployment of the Mammoth Tanks. "Now this…this is my father's greatest work." Leon smiled a bit. Opening the folder revealed contents such as notes, blueprints and schematics for the vehicle's weapons, armor, engine and other vital parts of the behemoth. He was just amazed-the Mammoth Tank, was by far, one of the most successful vehicles ever fielded-it ushered mankind into a new age of vehicle warfare with its introduction and the SV-001 Tank's debut.

"Hey…" Fio pointed to a framed picture on the desk. "Isn't that your father and mother in that picture? What a lovely couple!" She complemented.

Both of his parents were displayed as young individuals in the neatly framed snapshot-Leon's father was displayed as a handsome man with a relatively muscular build, but why he didn't put that to good use by joining the military really puzzled his son-but then, if he had the genius ability to develop a laser weapon and an unstoppable juggernaut, why waste the knowledge? His mother, on the other hand, was seen as a graceful and happy individual-seeing her smile in the photograph brought a tear to the US Marine's eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just thinking too much."

Fio turned around and grinned at him. "Well, you should stop thinking so much and go enjoy yourself, they're going to party and have lunch by the swimming pool!"

"Can't wait to cool myself off, then!" He picked up the weapon case as Fio headed out, and with one final glance at the photograph. "Love ya, mom and pop." He saluted and left the room as the guard locked the door.

**The Super-Massive Swimming Pool outside the Germi Estate**

"Whew, finally, I get to cool myself off on this hot summer day!" Flynn mumbled to himself as he walked out of the changing room into the swimming pool area, where Marco and Tarma were already waiting for him, grinning. All three men had military-style swimming trunks on, but Flynn's version was tactical black instead and had the words "UAAF" stamped on the front of his left leg. It was a sign of authority he had worked for the Space Marines, but who came up with the idea of stamping such an insignia on a pair of swimming trunks was a mystery. "Sorry I was late, I just had to ensure my weapons were safely and securely locked up in the cases! But let's party, boys!"

Tarma looked up from his sunglasses. "Ready to go, soldier? We're going to take our chances to see who can jump into the pool with the biggest splash. Loser has to let us dump ketchup all over the guy!"

"Oh please!" Flynn snorted. "I'll win again like I do every time!" He crossed his arms across his muscular chest and chortled in a low, deep voice. "Say, where's Fio's parents? I have to show her pop how big of a splash I can come up with!"

Marco took off his bandanna. "I think both of them are in the house helping with the preparation of dinner for tonight. But hey, if Fio can cook like a master chef, then I must try out her parents' dishes! Who knows how great they'll be!"

All three soldiers laughed outrageously, amused at the thought of being able to pig out again, but this time, with gourmet dishes. All three of them continued to chat about food, what is good to eat (and what isn't), their experiences with cooking, along with their biggest mistakes-especially the time when Marco had nearly exploded a microwave when he over-popped a bag of popcorn or when Flynn had accidently used rocket fuel instead of corn oil to cook his steak-which ended up in a massive bonfire that nearly burned down the entire barracks. Their noisy chatter was soon cut short when Eri approached them, and all three guys looked at her impressive image.

"What?" The demolitions unit spoke in a neutral tone. For her gear to relax in the sun and to go swimming, she was adorned in her two-piece bikini with a navy-blue color scheme. For obvious reasons, this was one of the few times where she did not have her doo-rag over her head.

Flynn tried not to chuckle as he noticed Tarma turn bright red. "Ahem…well…I'm sorry to inform you on the behalf of the US Marines that you're too fat for that, Miss! But I'm sure Tarma here loves all that flab and fat on your ass! Hahaha!" Marco could only start laughing while the vehicles specialist blushed even more-this happened all the time, not surprisingly.

Eri suddenly went up into a blaze of anger, even though she knew the soldier was just joking. "COME BACK HERE!" She screamed as she was about to chase him across the pool, but Marco got in her way.

"That's enough out of you two; we don't need a gun fight here!" The platoon commander ordered. "And as for you, Flynn, no more fat jokes! You're going to embarrass us all if you continue." In response, Flynn moaned like a sad dog and sat down on one of the sun chairs as Marco hopped into the water and began swimming in laps around the pool.

"But Mr. Germi said he loved my jokes!"

"Then you can tell them during comedy night tomorrow." Eri scoffed a bit as she brushed her messy blonde hair.

Meanwhile, Fio and Leon were the final two members to join the party at the pool. Leon, like Flynn, had his tactical black color-schemed swimming trunks but without the "UAAF" letters instead on, while Fio wore a full-body bikini with a tropical color scheme as opposed to Eri's two piece version.

"Finally!" Flynn cheered. "What took you two so long! We were about to start the party without you!" He decided to skip out on yelling fat jokes at Fio, because she'd cry and of course he didn't want to ruin her image-especially if it was at her mansion. He shivered a bit from the fact if her father had caught him in the act of calling his daughter fat.

Leon walked over to his friend. "Sorry, I was taking a tour inside Fio's mansion. But then, I managed to find out that my old man used to work and live here!"

"Lucky kid. You've got something to be proud of!" Flynn laughed as he poked the scar on his body. "Wow, even after 15 years this scar is still there after that incident! Hey guys, you have to check this out!"

"Not funny!" The scar on Leon's body was, in fact, due to an accident caused by a faulty C4 Charge which accidently went off during a training session, but miraculously, did not kill him and instead scarred his body with one painful burn. Over half decade later, the scar is one that is a reprimand that the warzone, whether it is for training or real-time combat, is no playground and there are no rooms for mistakes.

"Oh! I have to see it!" Fio wandered over.

"Hey, me too!" Eri interrupted.

"The kid's got a scar and I never knew! This is a must-see!" Tarma got out of his chair.

All three individuals began to chase the US Marine around the pool, with the target fleeing while repeatedly yelling back at them. Both Marco and Flynn could only laugh from the absurdity of the scene, as Eri, Fio and Tarma were extremely curious individuals whenever a secret was busted about one of the team members. Unfortunately though, they managed to get up to him and were already beginning to poke the scar on Leon, while both girls took the opportunity to tickle him just to see his reaction. Being ticklish was another one of his weaknesses…

"HEY! Cut-it out! AGHHH! I'm going to kill you for this, Flynn!" The young soldier yelled in desperation as his three friends were taking the opportunity to mess with him.

"You lose, kid!" Flynn laughed as he gulped down some ice-cold beer. "Oh man, now this truly beats being stuck in the office and doing paperwork like a dumbass! Now if you excuse me…" He placed his beer down, climbed up towards the diving tower and hollered to everyone in his signature tone. "HEY! Who's ready for 1st Lieutenant Flynn Taggart's amazing splash dive! Featuring the most hardcore soldier you'll ever meet in your lives, and he's going to put an amazing show for all you lovely audiences!"

"Ok, I think that's enough kidding around." Tarma helped Leon back to his feet. "Oh, and Flynn, DO IT! DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!" He cheered wildly.

Marco surfaced from the pool and looked up. "Don't land on me!"

"Oh, my…" Eri knew this was going to end up bad.

"Just be careful and don't hurt yourself like last time!" Fio called, as a reminder to the last incident where Flynn had nearly snapped his leg when he dove full force into the water at the local pool-unfortunately, he did not realize it was the shallow water area!

Leon shook his head a bit and tried to rearrange his messed-up hair neatly. "Let's see this!"

As the US Marine positioned himself at the top of the tower, complete silence, save for the occasional mutter of some guards whom took an interest to see this dive and chirping of birds, drifted over the pool area. In the distance, sounds of go-karts revving and gunshots were heard-presumably from either Mr. Germi's associates or his guards either having some fun and target practice. A few seconds passed, and Flynn slowly stepped to the edge of the diving platform with silence drifting over the group. "CANNONBALL!" The soldier screamed as he leaped into the air and dived straight into the massive swimming pool, sending up a massive splash comparable to a geyser caused by a powerful 16 inch gun attack from a battleship. Two guards close by cheered while raising their firearms from the impressive show.

"WHOO! YEAH!" Tarma laughed as he was splashed-just about everyone got wet from the wave. "My turn!"

Flynn soon surfaced from the pool, and gave a thumb up. "Now was that impressive or not!"

"Definitely!" Marco cheered from the sidelines. Meanwhile, both Tarma and Leon fought to claim the position for the next diving board, with the US Marine winning since he managed to sprint up to the top faster than the vehicle specialist. Leon laughed all the way and prepared for his dive-however, he was in for a nasty surprise-just as he was about to take the huge leap into the water, Tarma rushed up right behind him and pushed him right off while laughing uncontrollably.

"Think fast Marine!" Tarma taunted as his victim fell.

"WAAAAGGGGHHH!" Leon screamed as he fell into the water and made a massive splash. Surfacing, he shook a fist at his attacker from above. "Not funny, dude!" He made his way back to shallower water, but a sudden "boo" from Flynn made him scream and throw a sudden punch at his face, thinking he was going to be attacked. His target flew straight backwards from the force of the punch, and Leon felt a bit embarrassed from the act. "Oh crap, are you alright!"

The soldier surfaced and shook his head. "Yes I am…but I'm going to get you for that!" Flynn proceeded to chase his bud all around the pool, with Leon easily out-swimming the middle-aged soldier with ease. "Get back here!"

"Too slow, oldster!" Leon called back.

"What an awkward bunch!" Fio giggled nervously. "Hey, Eri, want to-" She turned her head and realized she had already climbed up the diving tower, most likely to execute a prank of her own. "My…"

"Don't mess with Tarma Roving the 3rd or else you'll eat that!" He laughed as he observed Leon being a victim of pranks. Tarma turned back to climb back down, only to see Eri right in his face with him at the top of the diving board-this sent him sprawling back in fright.

"Aw, what's the matter? Scared of heights?" Eri teased.

"Uh, no!" His feet began to quake as he looked down into the water below. "Now if you excuse me, I must head back down!"

"Won't you dive with me?" She crossed her arms and made her puppy face, forcing Tarma to blush once again all the while walking closer and closer. "It would be such a romantic sight! Didn't you say something about us two getting married in the future?"

"That-that was just a joke! AGGHHHH! Get away from me!"

Down below, Leon laughed in a maniacal manner. "Watch out, Tarma! I think Eri's going to assault you!"

"Boo." Eri whispered. This sudden act, of course, sent Tarma to his fall. He accidently jumped in fright, which led him to belly flop directly into the pool with a huge splash. In response, all the boys laughed at the silliness of the act, not to mention the two guards that stood nearby also began to roll around in laughter. Funnily enough, one of them had filmed the whole act with a special camera built into the scope of his G36 Assault Rifle.

"So Tarma's scared of heights and Eri, eh?" Flynn chuckled as he basked in the sun, soaking up the warm summer sunlight. "I never knew that!"

Tarma surfaced, with his hair all wet and his sunglasses out of place. "I thought you knew, and that's why I rarely take airborne missions unless I'm forced to! But don't rub it in!" Shaking his head rapidly to get the water out of his hair, he adjusted his sunglasses a bit.

"I'd break the secret, but I did it for the sake of his reputation as a "cool, laid back soldier"." Marco shot up. "But then I guess he revealed the secret now!"

As all the male soldiers were conversing in the water, Eri took her chance to jump into the water, and she did-unlike the other guys, her dive was executed gracefully, comparable to a professional diver. Her entry into the water was barely noticeable, as her splash barely made any sound. Surfacing, she turned to her teammates. "So, how'd I do?" She asked.

"I'm not surprised, for someone who is skilled in infiltration!" Leon complemented. "That was barely noticeable!"

"Well pulled off." Marco saluted.

Fio hopped into the water and quickly swam her way over to the Commando team. "I'll have to say, those were some impressive and funny acts you pulled off there!"

"I'll agree. Getting pushed off the tower was one heck of an amazing experience, even though it was quite frightening a bit!" Leon chuckled. "I'm going for a few laps, catch you later!"

"Hey, wait up for me! I'll challenge you!" Eri interrupted him.

"Be my guest." With that, both individuals began to race around the pool as Marco, Tarma, Fio and Flynn observed them.

"Who do you think is going to win?" Marco asked.

"Eri. No one beats her at swimming." The tank specialist replied. "Even though she's absolutely abysmal with vehicles she isn't familiar with, water warfare's nothing for her." It was true-Eri was perhaps one of the best swimmers on the team, and she practiced this specialty in her spare time as a hobby and a way to maintain her prowess in stamina and endurance.

The two challengers rapidly circled around the outer rim of the swimming pool at an amazing speed compared to the average human swimmer.

"Don't underestimate Leon, though." Flynn interrupted. "He's also one of the speediest characters on our team, not to mention he enjoys swimming whenever he has the free time! If he wasn't speedy, then I doubt he'd be able to keep up with that agent. He sure out-swam me back there after he nailed me in the nose!"

The team of four observed on, and in the end, it was a draw-it was impossible to determine who actually won. Soon, they reached their intended destination at the end and both Eri and Leon made their back over to their friends. "So, who won?" Eri asked, shaking her wet blonde hair out of her face.

"I'll say it's a draw." The platoon commander spoke. "Both of you guys were swimming so fast I couldn't keep track! But hey, let's enjoy the rest of the afternoon!"

All of them laughed in response, and continued to spend their afternoon in the water. For lunch, the group didn't have anything too complicated-a few sandwiches and a cool drink was what they had to satisfy their hunger. The food, was of course, made by Fio's loving mother, which kept its tradition for being extremely tasty yet still nutritious, if not 100% healthy.

"Is it just me, or does your family have some cooking skills that make your foods so savory and delicious!" Flynn chuckled in delight as he munched through the meatball sandwich while gulping some ice cold beer.

Fio stretched a bit and smiled a bit from his comment. "I guess it runs in the family. But then, my mom always used to spend countless hours with me when I was younger teaching me how to make such delicious foods!"

"If only you were an expert in making Asian dishes…" Tarma sighed dreamily. "That'd be perfect! I could use some fried rice right about now! The last time Eri tried to make me some we nearly burned down the barracks kitchen!"

Rolling her eyes, Eri pretended she didn't hear that comment. "Well excuse me, Fio was sick that day so somebody had to substitute for her! You should be thankful you had something to eat that day despite the fact it wasn't so delicious!"

"I'll agree with that." Leon responded.

While Marco eventually got tired of swimming, he spent his day cooking himself in the sun with Flynn in the sun chairs, all the while discussing their matters during wartime and their performance on the battlefield. Even though they were on leave, they were quickly running out of things to say in terms of trying to preoccupy themselves, so they switched their subjects instead-notably, things about computers and weaponry. Eri was helping Tarma learn to become a better swimmer, for obvious reasons-as much Tarma enjoyed to swim, he was never a big fan of it and therefore had little chances to practice this skill, and instead decided to waste his spare time playing with his customized vehicles instead. But Miss Kasamoto wasn't exactly the most lenient teammate there was, so poor Tarma was forced to bear through her lessons. Finally, Fio was socializing with Leon as the two periodically swam back and forth across the pool. Most of the questions were asked by the SPARROWS agent and the US Marine would answer her, even though he felt like he was being interrogated. But since the questions were mainly about his personal interests, it didn't really bother him at all. Not only this, but Leon was nearly impossible to have a conversation with if you always pulled a prank on him-this wasn't the case for Fio, however.

It wasn't long until the sun began to set over the hills, at around 6:30 PM. By this time, most of the crew, save for Eri who kept on badgering Tarma to stay and swim with her, the rest of the team had stopped swimming and were basking themselves in the setting sun on a couple of lawn chairs.

"Isn't that beautiful, kids." Flynn murmured with a smile on his face. "Experiences like these, where we get to spend time with each other in such a peaceful haven, come very little, maybe once in a lifetime. Once I retire from the US Marines, I want my life to be like this every day-I just want to relax and relish my happy hours in paradise."

"I think we all do, 1st Lieutenant Flynn." Marco replied while sighing happily. "This is all our dreams come true-a vacation for our hard work. If only we were truly resigned from the military…"

Fio smiled as she brushed her shining brown hair. "Aw, guys! My father would be very happy if you lived with us, I'm sure he'd love some company! So would I, you guys are so sweet! You don't have to wait and retire-you're welcome to come here and relax whenever you want!"

"Come on, Roving!" Eri commanded in a demanding voice. "Swim faster!"

Tarma tried to paddle around the pool, as if he was a floundering sack of cement. "Excuse me Miss, but I'm not a very good learner! Swimming isn't my thing either!"

"Well, keep going until you get it!"

"Keep trying, motorcycle man!" Mr. Chan laughed, and refocused on the conversation he was having with his friends. "Yeah, but it feels like we're leeching off your old man. I was never a fan of living off other people's wealth, regardless if I served under them or befriended them." Leon kicked his feet a bit, all the while observing a ladybug crawling on his right arm. "As much as I would love to live here, I'd pay Mr. Germi back somehow…maybe with money, a contribution…just something as a way of saying thanks for the free vacation." The insect continued to scurry across the soldier's arm, with Leon observing the harmless creature. "It's amazing how life can be so cruel but sometimes it can be so sweet."

The older US Marine took a sip from his beer. "Aw, playing the honorable soldier again, Corporal?"

"Hey, I just have a tendency to do that-I respect people that treat us like their own family. For a second I thought Fio's father would treat me like an enemy because of my crimes…but then, I guess assumptions are not always correct." The ladybug on his arm soon leaped off his arm and flew off into some bushes. "There goes the little guy."

Taking off her hat, Fio looked into the sunset through her sunglasses. "If there's one thing my father really appreciates, its good, brave and honorable friends in the military. He's extremely overprotective of me, and I'm sure he would love you guys just as much if he saw your performances on the battlefield. But then…I don't know how much to thank you guys for accompanying me for everything-from the battlefield to cheering me up during the darkest times."

"It was all about duty, Sergeant." Marco saluted.

"My pleasure and honor, soldier." Flynn shook a fist in pride.

"No need to thank me. I'm just doing my job." Leon grinned.

**Germi Estate, Change Room**

Approximately 30 minutes later, all six team members had changed out of their swimming gear and were either busy getting dressed up formally, in preparation for the dinner party that Mr. Germi was going to throw for the reunion and in addition, for honoring the two US Marines that had joined the force recently. Marco, Leon and Fio were among the individuals that managed to get changed the fastest, while Tarma was helping Flynn get dressed up (being someone who rarely went to formal parties, he had little knowledge about suits and such) and Eri was, of course, shy about coming out wearing a dress. In response, Fio was helping her in the women's change room.

In the men's change room, Flynn grunted as he tried to force his jacket onto his massive, muscular body. "Damn, this jacket's too small! Don't they have a larger size!"

"Try this." Tarma suggested as he handed him a massive jacket that dwarfed the size of their suits they were wearing. In response, the soldier tried the item of clothing and this time, it managed to fit him perfectly. "Ah, there we go. But damn, I think you need to bring your own clothes next time."

"I'll keep that in mind, the next time I come here." Mr. Taggart fixed his leather shoes a bit and looked at the mirror. "How do I look?"

Tarma grinned as he flashed his glasses. "One old yet slick-looking United States Marine with an attitude and skills to match. That's all I have to say!" Slapping his shoulder, he handed him some hair gel. "Try some-you're going to need it. Your hair's a mess!"

"How do you use this?" The soldier looked at the can of hairspray in confusion. As he tended to shave his head bald before he headed out on his adventures, hair care products weren't exactly his best knowledge. Then, not being deployed for over 2 years meant his hair had grown back, and he preferred to actually leave some on this time. But then, most Marines didn't have knowledge of such products at all!

"Alright, hang on." Tarma grabbed the can and shook it a bit. "You alright if I play with your doo? I'm going to try a new hairstyle, if you don't mind."

Flynn chuckled. "Just don't scratch the tattoo on the back of my neck."

Outside the change room, both Marco and Leon, adorned in a black tuxedo, continued to chat about the occasional events of life and whatever seemed to be of interest. For the dinner party, it was one of the few times where Marco didn't have his trademark bandanna wrapped across his head and Leon didn't have the standard issue US Marines goggles strapped around his forehead.

"Do I look weird without my bandanna?" The Peregrine Falcon Commando asked as he fixed his hair.

"Not at all." Leon spun his Desert Eagle in his fingers, something he loved to do whenever he was bored or just wanted to kill some time. "But as much as I hate getting forced to lose my goggles and being stuck in a tuxedo, it sure beats being stuck in an office having to do paperwork. And all of this because Fio's old man is a billionaire! Man, I wish I knew her when I was younger! That way, I could've skipped out on school multiple times!" He smiled a bit and laughed. "It was so boring being stuck at the Marine academy learning about how to properly shave, because I know that crap anyways!"

Marco couldn't help himself but join in the laugh. "I'll have to agree, they do teach some useless concepts that don't really have to be learned, so yeah…" His eyes narrowed down towards the hallway, where he could hear unidentified chattering. Perhaps it was the guards talking and socializing just before the party began. "By the way, good luck dancing with Fio tonight."

"Hey, uh, I didn't-"

"Now now, you promised!" The PF squad leader scolded. "You can't break a promise to a girl, not to one that's especially sweet, cute and kind! And please don't take it personally-she's asking you as a friend, so don't get too nervous."

Leon released a sigh of relief. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Come on, Eri!" A voice came from the girls' change room. "Don't be shy! You just have to get used to wearing this!"

"I'm not going out there in _this_!" A voice abruptly spoke. This both sent Leon and Marco looking at each other in confusion, muttering about what could be possibly going on inside.

The door soon opened, and both Eri and Fio stepped out, both adorning dance dresses-Eri had a dark green-schemed dress which matched her usual military outfit she always wore, while Fio had a navy-blue colored dress, all accompanied with her usual cute smile and glasses that gave her the signature look she was always well known for. Eri, on the other hand, was not very impressed-she crossed her arms in frustration along with a sour look on her face, slightly angered by the fact she was forced to wear the dress and the fact she was probably going to be called fat again by the 39-year old US Marine. However, it was the absence of her doo-rag that allowed her blonde hair to flow radiantly from her head down to her shoulders, giving her an extremely impressive appearance. Both girls smiled upon seeing the two male soldiers that waited outside them and blushed slightly.

"So, how do we look?" Fio asked, hoping for some feedback.

Both females' graceful and elegant appearances sent the two soldiers blushing in response. "Just damn impressive-oh, excuse my language." Leon apologized. "I guess I should cut the Marine talk and language! But you girls look just gorgeous." He smiled and nodded slightly.

"Just gorgeous! I don't need to go further than that." Marco gave a thumb up.

"Well, at least he didn't call me fat." Eri snorted. "Man, I'm not used to wearing these…not to mention these high heels are making my feet ache!" She sat down uncomfortably on the bench and took off her heels, all the while massaging her feet.

"Come on, Eri. Cheer up. No one's going to call you fat in a place as formal as this." Marco suggested as an attempt to get her to become more secure in these new surroundings.

Fio fixed the collar of Leon's dress shirt slightly upon noticing it was slightly out of place. "Let me fix that for you, aside from that and your wrinkled tie, you look very impressive!" She adjusted his tie a bit. "I don't blame you for not being able to dress properly, but is this really your first time to a formal party, Monsieur Chan?"

"Well, Mademoiselle Germi," Leon spoke, all the while trying not to laugh from speaking funnily for the first time. "Indeed, yes. I rarely go to formal events back when I was in the Marines, because me and Flynn are often not welcome because, well, let's just say we love to ruin parties the wrong way. But then, you can't blame me for starting fights just because the occasional drunk idiot starts throwing punches at me!" He chuckled. "But that won't happen here tonight, hopefully!"

Tarma and Flynn soon marched out of the men's change room, with Tarma grinning and Flynn's hair looking "interesting". Marco, Leon, Eri and Fio couldn't help but start laughing at the Mohawk hair scheme on the US Marine's head.

"Whoa, soldier. You let Tarma play with your hair!" Eri asked, while hiding her giggles.

Crossing his arms in defiance and pride, the Doomguy, a nickname given to him by Marco for his obsession with the Doom PC game, chortled in confidence. "Laugh all you want, but this is my new look for the night! This is a side of looking good for you boys and girls! Watch out everyone, Flynn Taggart is going to give you one amazing night with his new hairstyle!" He slammed his rock-hard chest a bit with his fist of iron.

Laughing, Tarma held up the can of hairspray. "I knew I was an a la artiste perfecto in terms of hairstyling!"

"I'll agree with that, Monsieur Roving!" Fio complemented. "Come on everyone, my father expects us to be at the dining hall by now!"

Eri slipped back into her high heels and got to her feet. "I suppose. This is going to be one interesting night."

"Will you dance with me?" Tarma asked as she slid over to her side, grinning and flashing his signature sunglasses.

"Maybe." The explosives specialist rolled her eyes.

"What about me?" Mr. Taggart asked.

"NO!"

"You can dance with me, 1st Lieutenant Taggart!" Fio interrupted.

"Uh…" The US Marine wasn't sure if he was up for the task. Being a 39 year old soldier dancing with a 21 year old youngster would probably be a bit creepy. "Well…I'm a bit old, though!"

"Then I don't know why you want to dance with Eri, then!" Marco teased a bit as he elbowed him repeatedly.

"Whatever, let's go!"

**Germi Estate, Dining Hall**

"I can't believe this…your dining hall is just…" Marco gasped.

"Impressive?" Fio finished his sentence. "Oh please, it's not that impressive once you get used to it! I ate dinner here every day when I was a child!"

"That chandelier must've cost a fortune…" Eri observed the massive fixture hanging over the room. Adorned with countless crystals and other rare types of expensive accessories, the piece of lighting brought a feeling of grandness to the rest of the room with its bright, amplified lights.

Like the rest of the Germi Estate, the Dining Hall was just downright impossible to believe-arguably comparable to a 5 star hotel restaurant. Immense in size and almost rivaling a typical school gymnasium, the massive construction brought a gasp of awe and impressive feeling to the group. Aside from the usual dining tables seated with multiple personnel, presumably the guards of the estate and Mr. Germi's associates and fellow co-workers that worked under his command, the billionaire sat at the center of the room with his wife alongside 6 other empty chairs. Fio's father waved at the team as they entered. At the far end of the room, a stage was constructed there with a small band performing a song with various electronic instruments-the younger Marine could instantly recognize the tune the band was playing. The lead female singer on stage spoke the words "We're going to have to act, if we want to live in a different world" in a soothing and feminine voice, yet strong and militaristic manner.

"They're playing a remix of Act on Instinct, the famous Command and Conquer soundtrack!" Leon pointed out in excitement as he bopped to the tune. "I could recognize my favorite song anywhere! I mean, they even managed to perfect the chant _"We're going to have to act, if we want to live in a different world." _In a female voice perfectly!"

Eri, despite the fact she wasn't a fan of C&C, had to agree with the excellent singing. "I don't normally agree with you, but that is some sweet singing. Wish I could sing like that!"

Marco squinted at the stage, hoping to get a better look. "Let's hope they can play the Peregrine Falcons Hymn!" The hymn, of course, was no other than the main theme of Metal Slug-the anthem was always played during a party or gathering that involved any Regular Army personnel (now often referred to as the Global Defense Alliance).

"Wow, you kids look impressive!" Mr. Germi greeted upon seeing the team of six soldiers entering the dining hall and approaching the table. "And Mr. Taggart, what's with the new hairstyle? I could barely recognize you there at first sight!"

"It's my new look!" Flynn hollered back. "Wow Fio, do we actually get to personally dine with your old man and his cute wife?"

"Yep!" The Italian SPARROWS agent smiled. "He personally requested it-sorry I couldn't get the news to you!"

The team of six headed over to their personal table, with the guards (off duty soldiers) and scientists not to mention their families they had brought with them, all dressed nicely, observing them in awe. After all, few could have actually met the band of legendary soldiers in their lifetime-not to mention most of them were barely out of their college years! Having heard of their feats was one thing but getting to meet them face to face physically was another. A few soldiers hastily asked Marco and Flynn for their autographs, with the two soldiers signing their helmets, posters and other types of novelties with gratitude.

"Ok, ok, calm down!" Mr. Taggart announced as he busily signed a Doom poster belonging to a child. "Don't worry, you'll all get your chances!"

"I have fans. Wow, what next?" Marco shrugged as he scribbled his signature on another helmet.

"Maybe an arm wrestling match, I guess." Tarma chuckled and turned to the other guards attempting to get an autograph. "Ok, there will be plenty of time after dinner, so the signings will take place then!" He quickly grabbed both Marco and Flynn, who were both still busy in the process of autographing for their "fans", and hurried over to their table.

"So, what's on the plate tonight?" Flynn asked as he observed the utensils on the table. Like any fancy, 5-star fine dining experience, a fork, spoon, and knife was placed alongside a dish with engravings he couldn't seem to recognize. In the dish was a cloth designed to be placed on the diner's lap to ensure no mess would be made, but the soldier, having experienced the fine dining style for the first time, was clueless to what to do. Turning over to Marco, he muttered quietly to the soldier.

"It's a buffet-you kids are free to eat at your pleasure." Fio's father smiled. "This party is made especially for you all-I even got a band to play all your favorite songs!"

"I can't thank you enough for this amazing party-I'm impressed with whoever can perform Act on Instinct perfectly." Leon spoke as he observed the band continue to play.

Mrs. Germi laughed heartily in response. "Aw, don't thank us! Thank Fio! She's the one that planned out all of this for you-our precious little daughter had been planning it all out these last few years to ensure your stay would be an unforgettable one!" In response, Fiolina Germi blushed in bright red.

"Did you really plan all this out for us?" Eri asked as she fixed her messy blonde hair a bit.

"Of course!" Her face was like a mixture of crying and happiness, probably because from a dosage of emotional overload. "I don't know how to thank you guys enough for your contributions, but I think this would be the perfect gift to you all!"

"Aw, quit your mood swings, you're going to drive us crazy!" Tarma laughed.

"Oh, sorry guys." Fio wiped her eyes with the dining cloth, soaking it with tears. "I'm just so happy that you all agreed to come here! But come on, let's enjoy the party!" She got out of her seat and dragged both Leon and Tarma over to the food stands. "Come on boys, let's get something to eat!"

"Uh, well, I-" Leon spoke uncertainly.

"Wait, I forgot my sunglasses!" The vehicle specialist interrupted.

Grasping both boys tightly, Fio hugged them close to her. "There's no need to be shy here-come on! Both of your guys are stars for tonight, now show some pride and spirit!" With no other choice, the Peregrine Falcon soldier and US Marine were forced to stroll alongside her in her strangling grip, all the while trying smile nervously.

"Have fun boys! Go easy on them, Fiolina! Don't give them heart attacks!" Mr. Germi spoke loudly while cackling like the typical middle-aged man.

Back at the table, Marco was busy teaching Flynn how to dine properly. "Alright." He instructed. "You must eat properly-that means chew your food, don't burp, fart, or do anything that makes you look like a pig. And of course, don't pick your nose and scratch your rear end like you're at a fast food establishment. Remember, you're eating with one of the most important figures on the surface of this world, not to mention he's also your teammate's old man. Don't embarrass yourself, you got it? You've got your friends, a very important figure, and your fans here tonight." He concluded by placing the dining cloth on the lap of his "student".

"Yeah…" Flynn spoke uncertainly. "But does this mean I shouldn't talk with my mouth full?"

"Of course you should not; you're going to look like a fool if you do that!"

"I got it, I got it. Come on, let's go get some food! You coming, Eri?"

Eri rolled her eyes as usual, but decided to play it nice in the end. "If you wish, Marine. Marco, you're coming with me." She grabbed Marco by the arm and forcefully dragged him out of his chair. "I thought you guys wanted to party? There's no time to sit and waltz around!"

"Sure do, Princess Kasamoto!" Mr. Taggart laughed.

"Don't call me that, I'm not rich and grand like Fio."

"Could you ease the tension! My arms are going to rip off soon!" Marco struggled against her grip.

Looking back, Eri winked and smiled a bit. "Just because I'm in a good mood, soldier. Now come on, the food isn't going to eat itself, like you guys always say 90% of the time whenever we go to a buffet." She trailed off with the two soldiers, smiling all the way-perhaps one of the rarest things to happen ever, as she was rarely so happy.

"Hey, uh, you look very sweet in that dress." Flynn complimented. "It sure shows the charm even for a tough, brave yet fearsome girl like you. And I'm honest here!"

"If you're saying that for real, Mr. Taggart, then I greatly appreciate it. I was expecting you to make a joke about me being fat and such, but if you were really saying that for the honest truth, props to you! To be honest, you look quite handsome in that suit, even if you're over a decade older than us-maybe that Mohawk of yours makes you look silly, but if you like it, be my guest." The Japanese SPARROWS agent replied.

Marco, having been pleased to see that the two weren't actually fighting it out violently, smiled at the friendly atmosphere that was happening. "You guys are finally getting along!"

Slapping the PF squad leader's back, Flynn laughed. "Hey, an old dog like me can still make friends. Now come on, let's get some food."

Back at the table, both of Fio's parents socialized as they observed her teammates go help themselves to the food. Of course, the couple couldn't help but smile at the frolicking individuals-despite the fact the individuals all had traumatizing experiences throughout their history in the warzone. Each and every one of them had a story to tell, that was what Fio's father always thought in his heart- he was also a soldier with horrifying stories and tales of the devastation of warfare, so he could feel their pain deep down.

"Everything okay, sweetheart?" His wife asked with a concerned look.

"Huh?" He shook his head a bit. "Oh yes, everything's okay. I'm just surprised at how the kids manage to stay so upbeat despite the hell they have to go through…I know Taggart has lost everything in the struggles and tribulations he had to go through." Sipping his glass of wine a bit, he sighed. "And Mr. Chan…the man's lost both parents and has nothing except for his skills and his teammates. In fact, our daughter is the only one that still has a pair of loving parents, I'm afraid."

Fio's mother shrugged a bit. "Well, we've done our best for them. It's best to not constantly remind them the fact that their loved ones are no longer existent…in fact, this is the case for most soldiers. Mr. Rossi lost everything dear to him, but look…he's still fighting strong."

"Maybe I should be a bit more grateful…but then, I'm just happy for them keeping Fiolina safe and unharmed, because I can't always watch over her and stick out for her. Just like the times I was trialed for punching an official because he accidently shipped her to the front lines!" The veteran chuckled a bit. Being an overprotective father, Mr. Germi would literally and will tear anyone to pieces if they were the ones that harmed her precious daughter, in the event that actually happened. Of course, during wartime, it was Fio's teammates that delivered those blows.

Fio soon came back to the table with Tarma and Leon, while holding two plates of food and the guys holding two more themselves. "Hey mom and dad! Come on, what's with the long faces?"

"Oh, your father and I were just discussing something, nothing too important anyways." Her mother smiled.

"I told you, I'm not that hungry, Fio! Those sandwiches were enough anyways!" Leon complained as he sat down and straightened out his hair, all thanks to the SPARROWS agent messing it up. "Now if you excuse me…I need to-" Just as he was about to finish his sentence, Fio silenced him by placing a hand over his mouth and interrupting him in the process.

"No no no! You know you can't walk out on your friends, my parents and myself when we're about to go dancing! Now eat up, our best chefs made this personally and we need your feedback!" She placed a dish consisting of a slice of grilled salmon with a side of vegetables that couldn't be recognized by the US Marine. "Come on, you'll love it!"

"Well, I'll try it." Leon placed on a strong face, picked up his fork and took a small bite from the food. "Gourmet food isn't my thing, but this is quite awesome!" He continued to eat away at the dish while Tarma was doing the same.

The Japanese PF Commando smiled with delight as he ate. "They don't serve this kind of stuff back in the Americas, not even at most 5-star restaurants. All they have is this fast food junk and the usual bullshit that isn't appetizing at all!" Placing down his fork, he edged over to Fio. "Hey, can you take a picture of both me and Leon? We both look slick in our suits, and we never really took a picture together before!"

"I'd be pleased to! But I'd also love to join in the shot!"

Her father pulled out a camera. "Then get in with them, sweetie! Moments like these rarely ever come, and I'd be honored to preserve it!"

Fio hurried over to the two boys and huddled both of them close to her, all the while putting a big smile on her face. Leon gave his signature chest-beating posture with his left fist (something he loved to do whenever he pulled off a victory during battles) while Tarma showed off his thumbs up pose (also his well-known victory pose 90% of the time).

"Say cheese, soldiers!" Mr. Germi announced.

All three individuals in the shot smiled, and the billionaire snapped the picture.

"How did we look?" Tarma asked.

"Not bad. Although the Marine's hair was somewhat messed up slightly, but then it doesn't matter at all!"

The other half of the team soon came back, with Flynn holding a massive plate of roasted turkey while Eri and Marco both held some appetizers. Everyone dropped their jaws upon seeing the oldest member of the team hogging the food, as the turkey on the plate could probably feed everyone easily! Mr. Taggart was also well known for taking massive amounts of food and consuming them within moments.

"What?" Flynn replied. "I'm going to share this with you, don't worry. I couldn't resist the delicious smell and taste after getting a sample of this!" He grabbed a knife and began to slice the meat into smaller pieces. "So, who wants some?"

All the guys at the table, save for the girls, immediately raised their hands.

"Don't worry, there's plenty to go around! Are you sure you girls don't want some of this? It smells and looks really good!" The US Marine chuckled as he began to hand out the food to his teammates.

"I'll stick with something not so fatty and the like." Eri replied as she took a sip from her wine.

"Fine by me!"

"Don't forget to eat properly this time, Marine!" Marco reprimanded him.

The rest of the night was all about chitchat and socialization among the group, all the while they happily ate as the band in the background played famous songs on stage such as Act on Instinct, At Doom's Gate (Flynn's personal favorite theme), Final Attack, and the Peregrine Falcons Hymn. As they ate, the boys would sometimes crack a few jokes or two, mostly about their experiences on the battlefield that (somehow) was an amusing and hilarious one, despite the fact the warzone was a terrifying place only few could handle and still maintain a good level of sanity. It was during the discussion that Flynn decided to showcase his BFG9000 to Mr. Germi and everyone else at the table firsthand, as he felt it was the perfect time to show the might of the most powerful handheld weapon of the US Military as of up to this date. Clearing his throat, he clapped a bit to get the table's attention. "Alright boys and girls are you ready to see the ultimate weapon I brought today to show you all? I'm sure Leon knows already, but then, I doubt most people here would have even heard about it-after all, only the most elite Marines are allowed access to this death device in a can!"

"Oh, yes." Leon spoke with some excitement in his voice. "This weapon is a true beauty!"

"Let's see what you got." Mr. Germi requested. "Bring it over, boys!"

On his command, two guards rolled in the giant metallic case containing the mighty mass destruction device. Flynn placed his hand on the fingerprint scanner, typed in a few codes, and the case's lock deactivated with a _click_ noise. "Access granted." The case's personal computer spoke.

"Wow. A weapon container that has a mind of its own?" Fio asked.

"Nope. It's just the most basic AI-it just helps to recognize my fingerprint-nothing else." Flynn opened the case and inside was the massive gun, resting in a type of soft foam designed to prevent it from being damaged during transportation within the case. Hefting it, he pulled the weapon out of its secure container and chuckled. "Now is this bad boy awesome or not!" He displayed his strength by holding it with only his right arm.

"I thought it was only a legend…even for a man like me responsible for weapons research, this weapon is truly the pride and joy of the US Marines Infantry! Who made this?" The billionaire rubbed his eyes as he observed the metallic gun.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Germi gasped a bit. "The Space Marines do really get all the awesome equipment, don't they? That's what my husband told me during his Gulf War experiences! Didn't you fight during that war, Mr. Taggart?"

"Nah, I didn't, my father did. He was the commander of the Marines during that war, and since the Space Marines didn't exist back then, we didn't really get all the awesome toys at our disposal. We did get some experimental weapons, though, such as prototype Mammoth Tanks. Besides, I had just started out my training when world relationships eventually got sour and the like." The Doomguy placed his prized weapon on the table, with many curious guards and scientists wandering over to see the beauty. "She's a beauty, and this weapon is among the rarest firearms ever made in history-only a thousand of these have been produced! Oh, and I think it was the UAAF-the United Aerospace Armed Federation, a top-secret government run organization working on interstellar science and crap. They decided to sell a thousand of their guns to the US Military, so yeah." He shrugged from his deep explanation.

"I rarely see you use it, though." Eri piqued.

Rolling his eyes, Flynn sighed. "Blame the government. They don't want me flash-frying friendly soldiers with this gun. Sure, the weapon has been programmed to not directly harm my allies, but getting hit by the plasma sphere regardless of your alignment always ends up messy. I mean, this thing can murder an M1 Abrams with one hit! I don't use this unless crap really hits the fan. That's the time when this gun sees the light of warfare, and the enemy wish they never met her!"

The DJ on stage soon stopped playing the music, and tapped into the microphone. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen!" He blared into the mike. "Now that we're all finished dinner, it's time for the dance party! But before we do that, our honorable Mr. Germi has brought in a few guests today! Why don't you guys and girls come up on stage and introduce yourselves?"

"Uh, us?" Leon asked nervously as he gulped slightly. He was never really fond of being the center of attention, especially with a massive audience.

"Yes, silly!" Fio replied. "We're the main attraction tonight-after all, you guys are very special guests!"

"Well, fine by me!" Tarma chuckled and wandered towards the stage, eager to be respected as a movie star, like he always dreamt to be. "I've got the looks, the style, the posse, and I'm going to prove it tonight!"

"Hey, wait up bud!" Marco called after him as he sprinted after him.

Flynn placed his weapon back into the container, locked it, made sure it was secure, and nodded. "Being treated like a movie star was always cool, but being looked upon like one because of being a veteran is a whole different story! Come on, Leon!"

"Right behind you."

Of course, Miss Kasamoto was not very happy about going on stage. "Aw, Fio, do I really have to!" Eri complained.

"All your friends are up there! You'll be the only one left out! Now come on!" Fio smiled, grabbed her arm and dragged her out of her seat. Groaning, the explosives specialist shook her head in dismay.

"Well, alright…"

The team of six was soon assembled on stage, with the spotlight on them. Tarma and Flynn, were of course the ones showing off the most-Mr. Roving flashed his sunglasses in the light while the US Marine flexed his muscles, displaying his impressive build as the audience screamed wildly like a bunch of crazed fans meeting their beloved movie stars. Their other teammates, however, could do little but either chuckle or roll their eyes.

"I knew this would be Tarma and Flynn's favorite hour…" Eri shook her head.

"I've seen worse!" Leon replied.

"Here are your special guests tonight!" The DJ announced. "Tonight, the legendary Peregrine Falcons Commandos, Marco Rossi and Tarma Roving, the adorable yet formidable SPARROWS agents, Eri Kasamoto and Fiolina Germi, and finally, the newest members to the team, the best of the best soldiers out there, the fabled US Marines duo, Leon Chan and Flynn Taggart, are all here on stage tonight as special guests for this very party! Let's give them all a hand for being here on this very special occasion!" In response, the audience clapped, cheered, and howled in excitement for the team of six.

"…adorable?" Eri muttered. "Did he just call me that?"

"I don't know, but if I'm called legendary, then I'll take it!" Marco cheered a bit as he raised his right fist into the air amongst the cheering crowd.

The DJ handed the microphone to Marco and gave him a request. "Why don't you show the crowd your men and women, as you're the one that leads them? I'm sure they'd appreciate it!"

Taking the microphone, Mr. Rossi cleared his throat. "How are we all tonight?" A massive cheer erupted from the crowd, with some random kids screaming and waving their arms in excitement. The noises soon died down, and Marco continued his introduction over the microphone. "I'm Marco Rossi, the leader of this little party. Over there is Eri Kasamoto and her partner, Fiolina Germi." Both girls bowed slightly, with Eri waving and Fio blowing kisses into the crowd. "This is Tarma Roving, my right hand man." Marco's closest friend shone his teeth and sunglasses as he basked in the spotlight with pride. "And finally, that's Leon Chan and Flynn Taggart, the newest members to the team, both hailing from the United States Space Marine Corps!" The two Marines saluted and waved into the crowd, grinning devilishly as their audience cheered. "And together, we are the legendary "Metal Slug" SV-001 Commando Team!" Concluding his speech, he bowed, and the audience cheered wildly once more.

Turning to the DJ, he wiped his forehead and handed him the microphone. "Whew! That was quite a nervous moment!"

"So this is how it feels to bask in the spotlight…" Eri trailed off a bit. "So, what are we going to do now?"

Her question was soon answered by the DJ. "Alright, everyone! To conclude off this night, it's time for a wild party of dancing! Our band tonight will play a variety of songs that you'll all sure love, so don't miss out on this and have fun!" This meant a wild night of dancing and partying that was sure to last several hours into the night, although the crew called it quits early in order to enjoy a good conversation in the family-rich atmosphere.

The rest of the night was all about some crazy dancing, drinking contests and jokes told between the commandos and Fio's parents. It was also perhaps one of the first times where all team members opened up to one another-Eri herself expressed how she truly felt on the inside for being a teammate on the SV-001 Commando Squad (proud and somewhat dumbfounded because of the boys' silliness) while Fio revealed they were the best friends she ever had in her lives. The males, however, all had the same replies-all the men on the team were rock-solid soldiers with hearts of iron, while the girls were cute yet devastating weapons of mass destruction. No kidding-Fio's skills with machine guns made her a force to be reckoned with while Eri was literally a one-woman grenadier squad. Mr. and Mrs. Germi, in particular, felt that these young soldiers were brave yet lucky-for they had emerged from countless battles alive, even though many of them had wounds and each had its own story to tell.

"This wound." Mr. Germi explained as he rolled up his sleeve and revealed a 5 inch long scar on his right arm. "Was a result of close-quarters combat. Got slashed by a machete from a terrorist. I caved in his skull with a combat knife, though. Haha!"

"Wow. Just wow…" Tarma replied. "I've got a few, but I'll show them another time!"

"Heh, I've got tons. This…" Flynn revealed a massive scar on his left shoulder. "Was the result of being smashed in the back by a Hell Knight! No kidding-it's no video game! Those ugly things did exist and I had to fight them!"

It was not long until the party soon came to an end, late into the night. While Tarma, Eri, Flynn and Mrs. Germi went to bed as soon as the party was over, Marco, Fio and Leon were still wide awake after the event. Bidding good night to each other, the commandos departed, each finding a late-night activity to preoccupy their minds…

**Balcony, Germi Estate**

Leon slowly walked over to the edge of the balcony overlooking the beautiful mountainside of Genova, Italy and sighed. Never in his life did he feel more relaxed, for he was able to escape all his stresses for the first time. No paperwork, assignments, pointless requests, missions and other types of crazy warfare to deal with-today was truly a time where he could truly be free from all troubles in general. _We'll have to return to our normal lives soon enough, but at least there's still plenty of vacation time to enjoy._ He took a sip from his champagne and looked into the beautiful night sky. Countless stars adorned the voids above him, twinkling with a soft light.

"I knew I'd find you here." A voice spoke from behind him.

Turning around, Leon realized it was Marco, Fio and her loving father all standing there by the entrance of the balcony. "Oh, hey everyone." He greeted. "That was one wild party we had there!"

"One crazy party. And I'm glad you didn't break your promise, soldier." Marco congratulated with a grin.

"Hey, I did my best." He laughed in response.

Fio wandered up next to Leon and joined in his observation of the night sky. "Isn't it just beautiful? The sky's so clear tonight-I think I can see pretty much all the constellations I know about up there!" She pointed to various locations in the sky and began explaining to her friend where each and every major constellation was located up there.

"It's a beautiful sight. Those who live in populated cities may never see such sights in their lifetime, sadly." Leon added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Germi and Marco observed the two converse among each other. "They're both young, but I know they won't disappoint us in terms of making a brighter future for a world like this." Fio's father spoke tiredly. "Ever since the Gulf War, the world's been so unstable."

"We've done our best whenever the world needs our help-and we've always emerged victorious, shining a light of hope and justice across this world." Marco sighed, remembering the conflicts he fought against General Donald Morden-from the very first war all the way to his brother, Greyfield Morden's declaration of war against the free world. And they were there to stop it. Despite the costs were enormous, they had preserved the world so that it may experience peace for another day…

"I have to thank you for letting us stay at your beautiful mansion, Mr. Germi." Marco complemented. "I don't know how to thank you, but…"

"No need, Mr. Rossi!" Fio's old man chuckled. "You've done enough to make my daughter feel secure in terms of being in the military. For materials and presents do not matter for me-I can afford anything I wished. All I wish for is Fiolina to remain unharmed despite the fact I kicked her into the military."

Marco looked over to Fio, where she continued to socialize with Leon. "Yes. I can't imagine someone as serene and sweet as her getting harmed."

Suddenly, a streak of light shot across the night sky, standing out among all the other various stars of the post-midnight sky. The brilliant shooting star descended across the night sky displaying its impressive radiance as it plunged towards the Earth.

"Wow, it's a shooting star!" Fio cheered as she observed the shining object in the void soar by. "Make a wish, everyone!" She instantly closed her eyes and began making her wish, whilst everyone else with her did so also. Deep in their hearts, all four individuals prayed to the bottom of their minds a wish that would hopefully come true for them.

_I wish for eternal peace and justice in this world._ Leon prayed, having felt the pain of various invasions.

_For one, I wish Morden and all those affiliated with him would be brought to justice for the lives and destruction they have taken and caused. _Marco wished, mourning the losses of his friends.

_All my friends and family being eternally happy and upbeat, regardless of what they have to go through, that is all I hope for._ Fio thought, smiling. All she wanted were friends that would be happy no matter what the situation.

_These kids, I wish for the best of them. In whatever they pursue in their lives, for they hold the key to whatever the future holds._ Mr. Germi wondered deep within his battle-scarred body. He had done his part. Now he wished the next generation would do the same in the pursuit for a better world.

All four looked up at the night sky, realizing that the shooting star was now no more. The trail of the shooting star was still visible in the sky, drawing a line in the cosmos as a way of showing that more of its own kind may return someday to the Earth and answer the wishes of those who relied on them for a dream to come true.

"You think whatever we wish will come true?" Leon asked.

"I'm positive, with you kids on the front, the future is brighter than ever." Mr. Germi answered his question with a smile on his battle-scarred war face.

Amongst the night sky, the objects in the void continued to twinkle, spreading their light across the Earth and its viewers, shining a light of hope across the endless space and time and representing as a symbol for a brighter future, no matter how lonely ends of space were like, from where they stood in the final frontier.

_**Well, that's it! Looks like everyone had a fun time on their vacation, why, even someone as lonesome as Eri managed to have a blast on this opportunity to escape from their boring work. That's it for now. And now it's back the Guerrilla Wars and a potential new story that's coming very soon!**_


End file.
